


amaryllis, cyclamen and roses red

by baeconandeggs, darkmochecoffee



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Claustrophobia, Claustrophobic Character, Drama, Lawyer!Chanyeol, M/M, Mentions of Claustrophobia, Non-Explicit Sexual Content, Romance, There Is Drama, ceo!baekhyun, lots of fluff, mentions of recreational drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 16:37:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14981183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkmochecoffee/pseuds/darkmochecoffee
Summary: Interim Chief Executive Officer Byun Baekhyun, merely wanted to buy Park Chanyeol’s land, unaware of the connection between their families and the ties that could break them apart or push them together.





	amaryllis, cyclamen and roses red

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #: BAE344  
>  **Disclaimer: baeconandeggs/the mods is/are not the author/s of this story. Authors will be credited and tagged after reveals.** The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Author's Note:** I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK THE MODS FOR THEIR INFINITE PATIENCE TOWARDS THIS USELESS WRITER. THANK YOU MODS, THANK YOU.
> 
> Anyway, I wrote this fic throughout what’s basically the most stressful part of my life. I’ve been procrastinating this fic on and off for months, it could have been better but I tried my best. TT. I’m so sorry prompter, if this isn’t what you’re expecting. I want to thank everyone, who reads this, ily <3
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for dealing with my mess BAE mods, you guys are saints, istg.
> 
> PS: I’ve never written chanbaek before so please forgive me if I got their dynamics wrong.

Byun Baekhyun swears to all the deities that he is not an alcoholic.

The twenty-nine-year old, interim CEO of Asia’s Han Group refuses to admit this glaring fact as he reaches under his desk to grab the neck of his illicit saving grace – a five-thousand-dollar bottle of Port Ellen stashed inside the furthest drawer of his massive cherry oak desk.

_I am not an alcoholic_ _;_ the man reiterates before he pours a good portion of the hard liquor to the still piping cup of hot coffee his secretary had graciously laid on his desk mere minutes ago. The scotch is good, and the espresso hides the stench of his early morning bad decisions.

 

The thing is, Baekhyun is merely aggravated, the type of aggravation that made him drink more alcohol than what is necessary. The businessman muses that it is not entirely a good thing to appear less sober on a busy Monday morning but Baekhyun has plenty of excuses. For example, almost getting fired by his own grandfather in front of the whole board just earlier, embarrassing himself when he’d been caught in questionable establishments with men and women hanging off his arms, and then there’s this thing about that miniscule piece of land he could not acquire for his father.

 

So yes, Baekhyun is quite a big ball of aggravation, a ball which is about to burst from the seams.

 

“Mr. Park still refuses to sign the agreement.”

 

Baekhyun eyes the secretary’s shoes. The woman wears funny looking heels and it had these atrocious patterns that remind Baekhyun of his grandmother’s draperies. He tries to focus on the shoes, tries not to shout an indignant ‘ _what the fuck’_ as the news is delivered to him in tiny squeaks.

 

“So, you mean to tell me that he still does not want to exchange that land for one billion won. Is he kidding me?”

 

_“_ I believe that is correct sir.”

 

Maybe Baekhyun has had enough of the scotch masquerading as coffee when he leans against his high backed, leather, swivel chair and motions for the secretary to come closer.

 

“Look at me, Min.” He tells the confused woman. “Do I look like I’m generous? Do I look like the type of person who’d pay one billion won for a twenty-acre land in the middle of nowhere? Tell me Min.”

 

The secretary pales at the question and Baekhyun honestly does not completely understand why everyone is intimidated by him. His mother even passively commented that he resembled her Welsh Corgi. Her Welsh corgi of all things!

 

And really, Baekhyun is not trying to intimidate anyone, he just wants to grasp a situation he cannot understand.

 

He cocks an eyebrow at the secretary. “I believe you are generous enough CEO Byun. But I think one billion won is a bit too much for the land.”

 

“See, that’s what I’m so confused about!” Baekhyun loosens his stifling tie, hating the fact that he had enough time today to do an elaborate Eldredge knot. “I am not generous and here I am giving this man one billion won for his land and I still do not understand why he won’t give it. Do you see my point Min? I’m so lost here.”

 

The secretary nods. “Yes, CEO Byun.”

 

Baekhyun sighs, “If you were in my shoes, what would you do?”

 

The thing is, interim Chief Executive Officer Byun Baekhyun, is desperate for that land – some twenty-acre dump smack dab in the middle of nowhere which Baekhyun’s father would probably exchange Baekhyun’s life for – and he needs to do everything in his power to get it. His old man, the official who previously owned Baekhyun’s spot before an unfortunate golfing incident that caused a broken hip (do not ask Baekhyun how, he does not know), had severely threatened Baekhyun and the young Byun is backed into a wall without any escape.

 

The secretary’s stare is burning right through the tablet in her grasp, her gaze wandering everywhere but meeting Baekhyun’s. “I would attempt to go there, sir, and talk to Mr. Park myself.”

 

Baekhyun grabs his scotch spiked coffee and takes one burning sip. He mulls over the suggestion and eventually admits that her idea is actually feasible. He would have done anything at this point if it meant he could get his hands on that land. He gently replaces the cup on the desk. “That’s a good idea.” Baekhyun says, placing his chin on top of his fingers.

 

The secretary brightens a bit before her expression neutralizes. “Should I get the contract files for you sir?”

 

Baekhyun shrugs, “Sure and get me Mr. Park’s information.”

 

“I’ll forward them to you. Anything else sir?”

 

“A refill.”

__//_ _

Park Chanyeol is a lawyer, some nice sounding chap from what Baekhyun can deduce in his file. The man is twenty- five years old, won every case he handled for a period of two years, went under the radar, re-emerged, and is now using his hard-earned legal skills in farming. Park Chanyeol apparently is not practicing his profession anywhere, which complicates Baekhyun’s situation further. The interim CEO scrunches his brows in frustration.

 

___”Baek?”__ _

 

_“_ Minseok hyung.” Baekhyun attaches his Bluetooth earpiece before tossing his phone onto the passenger seat. “I need a favor.” 

 

____“Are you driving?”__ _ _

 

“Yes, driving to the middle of nowhere, actually. Anyway, are you free right now?”

 

____”Yeah. Do you need anything?”__ _ _

 

_“_ I need a quick info on some lawyer, a Park Chanyeol. Ring a bell?”

 

____“Not familiar, but let me check and don’t take your eyes off the road please.”__ _ _

 

Baekhyun chuckles, his cousin is such a huge worrywart. He looks out of the window as Minseok temporarily leaves the line.

 

Honestly, Baekhyun is completely sure that he is utterly lost. The asphalt road is flanked with endless valleys of green and brown and the sky is a boundless azure stretching to cover more greenery. Baekhyun has not been subjected to this much nature in his entire life and he is at the roof of his twenties. More than comforting, the place is throwing him off instead.

 

Baekhyun dwells in towering skyscrapers and impersonal apartments full of matching furniture he does not get to choose. He lives in a bustling city with its lights that never seem to flicker out. For some reason, he breathes better in a place crawling with far too much people.

 

Baekhyun likes civilization and in this day and age, who would not? Apparently, Park Chanyeol. Baekhyun idly wonders if the man harbored some sort of illicit secret that he is keen on protecting by hiding in a place with…almost no people.

 

____“Baekhyun, are you there?”_ _ _ _

 

_“_ Yeah. You got something _?”_

 

____“Your lawyer is actually a relative of Park Jaeyong. You know, Parks as in, that family of big land owners north of the country?”_ _ _ _

 

Familiar, Baekhyun’s sure of it.

 

“But didn’t the Parks sell all their land four years ago, when the patriarch died?”

 

____“Well, some if it. I think the land the lawyer owns is an inheritance. Why do you want to know anyway?”_ _ _ _

 

“My old man’s asking me to buy it.” Baekhyun sighs, “He’s been up my ass since getting injured, threatened to disown me once or twice, the usual.”

 

____“Why does uncle even want that land? Is Han group planning on taking agriculture as a side project?”_ _ _ _

 

“Beats me. Mother’s asked me to just follow through, she’s afraid that my _insolence_ is gonna cause her husband an artery.”

 

Minseok chuckles _. _“Well then, good luck with that. Call me if you need anything.”__

 

_“_ Thanks, hyung.” 

 

Baekhyun sighs when the call cuts off. He can feel the ache in his back due to driving close to four hours now, he is literally in the middle of nowhere. The asphalt road has even cut off and Baekhyun could see that the dirt stretching in front of him, will not do his car any good. He would not have driven the Bentley if he knew the whole ordeal is this bad.

 

“Ah fuck.” He curses, eyeing the GPS which had malfunctioned two minutes ago. At this rate he is surely not getting anywhere. He sighs, pulling to a stop and consequently planting his face against the steering wheel.

 

“Shit. This is a bad idea.”

 

Baekhyun looks back to the events a few nights prior that had led him here, and the evident cause of his cataclysmic migraine. He sighs.

 

//

 

“Oppa!”

 

Before Baekhyun could even hide from his overly enthused younger sister, the girl has already lunged at him. Her petite figure tackling Baekhyun to the ground. She beams at Baekhyun, smile wide and sincere, and he could not help but smile back. He ruffles her hair and hugs her.

 

“I haven’t seen you in years!” She practically screams in Baekhyun’s face. “I missed you so much!”

 

His sister acts like a child, looks like she’s not dancing into her late twenties, and is definitely the pride of the whole Byun clan. Byun Eunhyun is a musical prodigy. She is a classical pianist who started playing at the age of four, lent her talents for orchestras at age eleven and, eventually trotting the globe along with her music at sixteen. The whole family is proud of her, including Baekhyun. At least she didn’t turn out to be a useless, half basket case like him.

 

Eunhyun resembles him, in most cases. They share the same droopy eyes, thin lips and button nose, but unlike Eunhyun, Baekhyun can’t play a musical instrument to save his life – not in the way his sister can. In retrospect, she has more talent in her pinky finger than Baekhyun could even dream of.

 

“I missed you too, Eun.” Baekhyun says, because no matter what, he can never really resist her. “How’s Australia?”

 

“Great.” Her tone is chirpy as usual, and despite Baekhyun’s record breaking shitty week, it makes him smile. “Too hot. I never saw Kangaroos though. The managers lied.”

 

Baekhyun chuckles. “I heard you debuted a new composition. You never told me.”

 

“Because I wanted you to hear it live! I would have asked you to come see me play at Sydney but mother told me you were busy with your CEO Byun duties.” She waggles her eyebrows at him. Baekhyun laughs. “I also heard that grandpa saw your face on a questionable tabloid. You were out with Jongdae-oppa, weren’t you?”

 

Baekhyun’s smile falls. “We’re over. He broke up with me after that came out and honestly it’s been crazy since.”

 

Eunhyun’s expression darkens and then she hugs Baekhyun tighter and buries her head against his chest, as if transferring some of her happiness to him. The man smiles.

 

“I’m okay, Eun. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m used to it.”

 

_“_ I really liked Jongdae-oppa, Baek.  But now that he’s left you behind I don’t want to ever see his face again. Nobody makes Baekkie cry.”

 

“Aww, the fierce young lioness is protecting her useless older brother. I’m touched.”

 

Eunhyun groans, slaps him once in the arm and detaches from the embrace. “Stop being gross. I’m only this affectionate when I’m with you.”

 

“Good. When the time comes, I’ll need to have the details of whomever you decide to be affectionate with. Can’t let my fierce young lioness get into the hands of big bad men – or women if that’s your cup of tea – anyway, where’s mom?” He is only half listening to whatever it is that Eunhyun said because their mother appears from the inner confines of the house. The older woman’s stature is elegant for her age, the dress she wore is tasteful, accessorized with nondescript jewelry.

 

“Hi, mom.” Baekhyun snatches her in a warm embrace, grinning when the matriarch lets out an indignant shout. “How’s your health? Min tells me you cancelled your doctor’s appointment this month. I’m worried.”

 

“I’m alright, I’m alright.” She waves a hand on his face, Baekhyun notices the grisly lime green topped fingers and inwardly cringes. “It was a false alarm. Come on, dinner is getting cold.”

 

//

 

Unlike his mother, who is all encompassing in her benevolence, Baekhyun’s father stands on the opposite side of the spectrum.

 

Baekhyun has long learned to get over his father’s lack of affection and sometimes radiating hostility. He’s almost thirty, he has suffered three decades of his father’s loathing of him – sometimes he understands the anger, since usually, he brings nothing to his family but shame. He is unlike Eunhyun, who’s the crowning glory of his parents’ relationship, the saving grace opposite of the failure Baekhyun has become.

 

The wine tastes bland, even though he is a hundred percent sure it had been given to him by a member of some bigshot banking magnate – or that time when he had failed to close a deal with said banking magnate. He inwardly scoffs to himself. Eunhyun currently regales the family with her recent performance in Australia and as usual, Baekhyun fades into the background.

 

He is slightly inebriated, dancing on that thin line between sobriety and shitfaced, when the man of the house finally calls for his presence. Baekhyun’s vision swims after he turns towards his father’s voice, too fast, he almost gives himself whiplash.

 

“Yes, father?”

 

Father - too formal, too respectful, too detached.

 

The man is taking his time to cut the meat on his plate. Baekhyun’s nerves are fraying.

 

“Have you gotten a hold on the Park’s land?”

 

Baekhyun gulps, fingers clenching tightly around the wineglass. “I’ve offered the current owner, the maximum. He has refused to sign the deal.”

 

Utensils falling against expensive china has never been this loud. The whole table is silent. Baekhyun bows his head in shame as his father shoots lasers at him from across the wooden table.

 

The silence is deafening. Baekhyun has gone through this so many times and he wonders why he is still not used to it.

 

“I want you to get me that land, no matter what cost.” The father’s tone is bone chilling. He’s not even shouting at Baekhyun. “Get me that land within two months or don’t ever step into this house again.”

 

The patriarch sends him one last baleful look before vacating the table. The mood immediately turns glum. Baekhyun squeezes his eyes, when he inhales it felt like someone has pushed him down a tub of oil.

 

“I’m sorry Baekhyun.” Mother’s tone is warm, without a trace of disappointment. Baekhyun begins to think it’s a mother’s nature. He is almost sorry that she had to deal with a son like him.

 

“It’s okay.” Baekhyun caps off the remaining wine in his glass, gulping red liquid like water. “I’m sorry mom. I’m sorry Eun.”

 

He vacates the table, numbed.

 

He’s not an alcoholic but some scotch will probably do him better than a glass of fancy wine.

 

 

// 

Baekhyun deals with his problems like the ordinary – with alcohol. In addition, people. He accepts anyone who’s willing to be fooled by him.

 

It is like a sick sort of defense mechanism. He is a known face with a celebrity status for he is notorious when it comes to relationships. Fleeting, like everyone is. He goes through people to deal with stress and his failures, he goes through people because people makes him feel better when his father treats him like garbage.

 

___And he is so fucking drunk._ _ _

 

The club – Velvet, is its name – is boisterous. EDM bouncing off the walls in a cacophony that only felt good because Baekhyun is so shitfaced. His vision is swimming, and at the back of his head, he is sure that he had been given a sort of party drug after he had made out with some skinny woman earlier.

 

He wants to dance – he laughs at himself because the whole room is tipping. The bass causes the whole space to vibrate and the colors from the strobe lights are so hypnotic. There is a man watching him – staring at him a few seats away from where he is sitting. Baekhyun can’t see rightly, but he is sure the man must be handsome. He stared at Baekhyun as if he had seen Baekhyun, naked.

 

____Oh, he’d gladly bend over for him._ _ _ _

 

_“_ Hey.” 

 

The man’s voice is deep, like dark chocolate covered in honey (or it’s the alcohol and drugs in his system, talking).

 

Baekhyun turns and stares at the man. He is so intoxicated he probably won’t remember what the man looks like the next time he sobers up. Baekhyun’s assumptions are proven correct though, the man indeed looked fuckable. Dark hair swept up, the planes of his face soft yet impressionable, almond eyes that seem to probe the core of Baekhyun’s being and the lips…Baekhyun wondered what those lips will feel like against his skin.

 

“Hey.” Baekhyun tips back a glass of questionably fruity liquor from the array of shots in front of him.

 

“I was wondering if I could buy you a drink.” The man’s chuckle is a deep rumble, “guess I don’t have to.”

 

Baekhyun slides a glass of alcohol towards the man. “Here, let me share.”

 

The man takes the proffered crystal glass, downing it in one go without taking his eyes off Baekhyun. The man smirks. “Wanna dance?”

 

Baekhyun shrugs, and he lets the man guide him to the dance floor. He is normally claustrophobic and the amount of people writhing around him and the general chaotic nature of the place would have sent him into a cardiac arrest in a normal day, but he is drunk, and he just wants this man to later fuck all his problems away from him – temporarily – because that’s the only thing Baekhyun can never be a failure at, running away from his problems.

 

So, they dance. Baekhyun notices that the man has a few good inches on him and the long-sleeved shirt he wears, cuts low providing an ample amount of his pronounced clavicles. He’s also broad as hell, and by the way he sensually grinds against Baekhyun, the latter knows they don’t need much foreplay. Both are very willing to satiate each other’s demons for one night.

 

Baekhyun throws his arms around the man’s neck, pulls him down and whispers into his ear with a tantalizing lick to the man’s earlobe. “Wanna get out of here?”

 

The man kisses him then, lips insistent against Baekhyun’s own. “Sure. Your place?”

 

Baekhyun nods.

 

___//_ _ _

 

Baekhyun was not sure what he was expecting but when the man started to drive, Baekhyun just spilled.

 

He lets the man fold down the roof of his car – an obnoxious, McLaren 570S – and when the air hits his face, _he _fucking cries.__

 

“What the fuck?” Baekhyun addresses himself, fingers tangling against his ash blonde hair and pulls. He does not sob, just wipes harshly at his eyes that did not stop leaking.

 

“Hey,” the still unnamed man calls. His face starts to become blurry, Baekhyun can barely discern his features. “Are you okay?”

 

“No.” Baekhyun says, firmly bracing his head against the leather headrest, “just drive, please.”

 

As the man drives, Baekhyun talks and talks, words vomited out onto metaphorical pavement. Baekhyun’s so intoxicated he probably narrated the whole of his morbid life story to this man and he could not stop. He scratched out his scabbed over wounds and let himself bleed.

 

The man does not respond, he drives Baekhyun’s car round and round. Baekhyun does not even care where this man takes him, he does not even care if he ends up dead in a ditch because of his own carelessness. It’s comforting to have released something that’s poisoning him from the inside. He’s drunk and he’s relieved, it’s been such a long, long time.

 

Baekhyun wakes up in a hotel. His car keys are on top of a messily written scrawl of note.

 

____take care. you’re an enticing drunk, but nothing happened _.___ _ _

 

He would have known if something happened. He’s been stripped off his jacket but otherwise he feels perfectly fine. He could not remember what the hell happened the night prior and the stranger’s face is nothing but a blur. There seems to be a hundred unread messages in his phone and a crapload of emails. On top of his priority list is his father’s foreboding reminder:

 

____Report to me as soon as you get the deed to the land. Do not even think of returning to Seoul without it.__ _ _

 

Baekhyun’s head hurts like a bitch.

 

___//_ _ _

 

Upon realizing that he is so incredibly lost, Baekhyun disembarks from the car. He groans as he does a languid stretch, feeling the knots on his muscles loosen. Thankfully, he does not seem to be so far off civilization, the phone service remains steady for some miracle, so he blames bad luck for his GPS malfunction. He had been planning on getting it fixed but time was never on his side.

 

He surveys his surroundings and notes that the dirt road had been temporary, probably some sort of reconstruction. He’s standing on concrete grounds now and he surmises that he has finally arrived on some sort of residential area. The houses are spaced far apart, connected by wide patches of flower fields.

 

He’d read about this village on the lawyer’s file. His assumption had been proven incorrect for this place is definitely not in the middle of nowhere, just a bit too far from Seoul. The main business is flower cultivation so that explains the colorful shrubs.

 

Other than finding Park Chanyeol’s residence and his broken GPS, Baekhyun currently has no other problems. He reenters his car and almost gets rammed by an unsuspecting truck as it appears from behind the blind curve. Baekhyun curses, swiftly turning the wheel, he cringes as his expensive vehicle scratches against the base of a tall poplar tree.

 

The truck’s driver descends from his vehicle and knocks upon Baekhyun’s heavily tinted windows. The businessman reins in the urge to shout, only allowing himself a small “fuck” as he exhales. He rolls down the window and a surprisingly familiar face assimilates him. Standing beside his car is tall and broad-shouldered Park Chanyeol himself.

 

The man is unrecognizable. He reeked of sweat, tendrils of his hair are matted against his forehead, and a streak of dirt runs innocently on his left cheek. “Are you alright?”

 

Baekhyun takes a moment to compose himself. He is sure he’d seen this man somewhere other than the picture of him on the file Min had given him, he just can’t place where exactly he’d seen him.

 

“Park Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asks as he exits the Bentley for a second time. Chanyeol only has a few good inches on him but Baekhyun feels rather miniscule.

 

The man in question stares at him, “Yes. What can I help you with?” Chanyeol gives him a discreet once over, eyeing Baekhyun’s Ferragamo suit and to his scratched Bentley. The lawyer smirks, “other than your insurance of course. Looks like I don’t have enough money to pay for that scratch.”

 

“It’s fine Mr. Park.” Baekhyun says with finality. He notices, that though Chanyeol did not look much like the professional that he is, nor the heir to a huge land as said on his file, he sure talks like one. Baekhyun cannot help but do a short psychoanalysis of the man, noting the way he carried himself and his stance. “I am Byun Baekhyun –“

 

“My land’s not for sale.” Chanyeol beats him to it, already turning his back on Baekhyun. “You’ve sent your representatives here, and I give you the same answer, the land is not for sale.”

 

“Look, Mr Park.” Baekhyun moves to grab the man by his elbow, “I can offer you a better price. My last offer had been one billion won and I’m pleased to inform you that I can raise it, still. Let’s negotiate.”

 

Chanyeol turns, chuckling. He rakes his sweaty hair away from his face and Baekhyun could not stop his eyes from following the movement of his long fingers. “You’re all the same to me. I don’t know why you’re so keen on buying this area. There are people who make their living here and you’re just going to remove them from their land? Aren’t you a little heartless?”

 

Park Chanyeol is a difficult man. Baekhyun feels himself tick, annoyance rising exponentially.

 

“And that’s why Han group is willing to pay you two billion won for a twenty-acre land. You can do so much more with two billion and if you’re concerned with the villagers, I am willing to transfer them somewhere else. Full financial assistance and scholarship grants will be given to their children.”

 

“Yes, you can do that. But you see, Mr. Byun, I’m not quite willing to let go of this land and I really suggest that you stop giving me offers. The answer will stay no.”

 

The man walks off, reenters his truck and drives away. Baekhyun narrows his eyes at the retreating vehicle.

Desperate times, call for desperate measures.

 //

It’s an overcast afternoon, the color of the sky warns of an impending thunderstorm. Another problem on Baekhyun’s list of mounting obstacles.

 

The Park household is in the margins of the land Baekhyun desperately needs. It’s a well-maintained two-story house with chipping white paint, old but otherwise aesthetically pleasing to look at. The roof is covered with dangling bougainvillea with pleasant yellow flowers. Pink roses wrap around the wooden posts that supports the roof of the porch. Past the gated confines are thriving blue hydrangeas, petite gladiolas and a rainbow of rose shrubs. The flowers are planted in a somewhat careless, disorganized chaos but they would probably make Baekhyun’s horticulturist mother, envious.

 

Park Chanyeol’s old truck is nowhere in sight. Baekhyun’s eyes wander to his own Bentley and mulls over his choices: one he can wait inside his car and cause himself a nervous breakdown via claustrophobia, or he could find some place to stay and hopefully tomorrow, Chanyeol would be easier to negotiate with. Seeing as there’s no other house in the vicinity and the nearest hostel is near the city boundaries, it looks like Baekhyun has no other option but wait inside his car. The mere thought of staying inside a cramped space like an immobile vehicle is already giving Baekhyun minor panic attacks. He shudders.

 

In the end, Baekhyun decides to meander in front of Chanyeol’s property. Staring at the man’s beautifully grown flowers is a favorable distraction until the first clap of thunder shocks him to an inch of his life. “Fuck,” he enunciates as lightning spears the sky.

 

Then it rains. At first gentle, like an unprecedented shower in the middle of Spring. Baekhyun blinks and it pours, drops falling and pelting Baekhyun’s skin like tiny needles. Within two minutes, the man is soaked and the cold seemed to seep into his very bones. Baekhyun sighs, he’d been expecting this to happen, after all, the whole year technically held a vendetta against him. Nothing was going right in his life and to cap things off, nature gives him a nice cold shower just in time when the only shelter he can afford would practically fry his neurons.

 

Without much of a choice, Baekhyun approaches his car and sits on the hood. He’d rather get sick than get disowned.

 

He waits and tracks the time for around an hour until his skin burned under the cold rain. By the time Park Chanyeol’s muddy blue truck appears from behind the curve, Baekhyun’s already seeing in doubles. Park Chanyeol hurriedly exits his vehicle, jogging towards Baekhyun with a frown that would have contested Baekhyun’s father’s.

 

The lawyer yells, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” just as Baekhyun manages to whimper, “Hi.” They look at each other for about three seconds until Baekhyun blacks out. The last thing he remembers is Chanyeol’s annoyed glare.

 

//

 

When Baekhyun comes about, three thoughts simultaneously pop into his mind. He shouldn’t have been stupid and shouldn’t have sat out under the rain, his whole body aches, and Chanyeol looks quite handsome without mud on his face.

 

“Care to explain just why the actual fuck did you think it was a good idea to sit under the rain like a sad dog?”

 

Chanyeol has an impressive glare, Baekhyun passively thinks as he massages his temples. The sheets around his noticeably naked body fall off and he would have been blind if he missed the way Chanyeol’s eyes strayed down. Baekhyun wanted to smirk and say, _like what you’re seeing_ , or something along that line but he’s too uncomfortable and in quite a lot of pain to even talk.

 

_“_ I’m claustrophobic and the Bentley’s interior wouldn’t do me any good unless it’s moving.” 

 

The lawyer sighs, “Were you waiting for me?”

 

“Look, Attorney Park, I’m stuck in a situation where I’m incapable of escape unless I have the deed to your land. Tell you what, let’s negotiate. My limit is four billion won and that’s approximately four million US dollars to make things very clear. Name your price.”

 

Standing up, Chanyeol brings fingers to his damp hair and ruffles the strands into a disarray. Baekhyun’s mouth goes dry. This lawyer has been such a pain in the ass but Baekhyun can’t deny that he’s a fine specimen. The wife beater Chanyeol’s wearing clings too tightly around his torso that he might as well look like a product of teenage Baekhyun’s fevered dreams. He wonders if Chanyeol’s swings his way. He should make a pass at him, try and gauge the other’s reaction or something. _God, Byun Baekhyun why are you like this?_

 

He’s a tough nut to crack but given the chance, he would seriously let Chanyeol do whatever he wants to him.

 

The man stops pacing in the middle of the room and stares at Baekhyun’s face. The interim officer merely looks up and cocks his head to the side, Baekhyun knows the effect of his face on people, maybe it would work on Chanyeol too.

 

“You don’t understand CEO Byun.” Chanyeol sighs, “this land is as important to me as this deed of yours. It’ll never be for sale but I don’t think you, city people, would truly get the sentiment. “

 

Baekhyun raises both palms in a gesture of surrender, “To tell you the truth, I really don’t. Look on the bright side, Attorney Park. Everyone working on this land would be resettled in a place with jobs that they can use their skills on. I’d give you millions in scholarship. No one’s going to die, I’m not trampling on human rights here. I just need this land, it’s as simple as that.”

 

“Okay, fine. I’ll sell you this land in my terms.”

 

“Sounds good to me.”

 

Truly, everything had been fine and dandy. Baekhyun was ready to have the paperwork emailed and ready by the time his dizziness stopped causing the floor to tip. He just needed Chanyeol’s signature and reassure him that he can surely transfer his rose shrubs before the bulldozers come to wreck the whole place.

 

What Baekhyun hadn’t been expecting is for Chanyeol to string him into rural life with a trial period of one month. A.K.A nature immersion 101.

 

“Here’s the deal.” Chanyeol says, smirking at Baekhyun. “You spend a month here, just thirty days. Disconnected from urban life and if you find yourself falling in love with the place then I will sell it to you.”

 

Baekhyun raises a brow at him. “You know, I’m a good actor. I can pretend to love this place and you’d never notice. I’m telling you all this because it’s a bad idea, not to mention a complete waste of time. Thirty days is far too long and I’m a busy man.”

 

“I anticipated you would say that. But here’s the thing, you can’t fake an emotion when it comes to this place. You’d either hate it or love it. If you want to get this land, you should play by my rules. Or we could take this to court and let me tell you Byun Baekhyun, I may not look like it, but I’m a fucking good lawyer.”

 

Baekhyun stares at the younger in disbelief. “Are you fucking serious?”

 

Chanyeol’s grin widens, “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

 

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” Baekhyun sighs.

 

“You do, if you stop sending reps here to try and steal my land, you guys are like ants crawling all over the place. I’m just a farmer, you can find someone better to waste your time on.”

 

“Alright, but what if I end up hating this place, what would you do?”

 

“I’m not selling it to you then. But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have a change of heart about this place. Everyone does.”

 

Baekhyun sighs, “Alright attorney Park, you got yourself a deal. I’ll call my representatives while you draft us a contract.”

 

//

 

They sign a contract drafted by Chanyeol, affixed with his seal, and header to make things look seemingly legit. Baekhyun reminds himself to have it notarized by his own lawyer. He tells Min to ask CFO Kim Junmyeon, to handle the reins for a month because currently and for the next thirty days, he would be mostly unavailable.

 

Immediately after this, Baekhyun drowns.

 

Well, almost drowned.

 

Chanyeol had taken him to an impromptu tour around the place. Baekhyun mostly kept his comments to himself though he was so close to blowing a fuse after he had to cram himself inside Chanyeol’s fairly disgusting pickup truck. The man had no care whatsoever.

 

The place though, truly made up for the hassle, Baekhyun realized as soon the crisp, fresh air hit his face and ruffled his hair. Twenty acres didn’t seem so huge on paper but here, it does. The property consists of wide flower plantations and at the edge, is a lake with water so clear and untampered by human hands that it could have been safe for consumption.

 

“Wanna take a dip?” Chanyeol offers as he casually slips off the threadbare T-shirt he had on. Baekhyun tries to inconspicuously ogle the man’s body and truth be told, Chanyeol’s bare torso looked like a Greek sculpture. He was practically gleaming under the soft sunlight, like he’s one of those shiny vampires from the Twilight series – blame Eunhyun, she prefers to watch pretty monster films if she’s not busy on her compositions.

 

Baekhyun strays his gaze and lets it rest on the clear, still waters of the lake. “Is it safe?”

 

Chanyeol scoffs, “No, there’s a man-eating shark swimming below the surface.” Baekhyun chooses to ignore the lawyer’s sassy remark opting instead to strip off his clothes – Chanyeol’s old college shirt and some shorts – he follows the younger man and dives into the water.

 

For the record, Baekhyun has never actually swam in huge bodies of water. His apartment tower has built-in amenities like an Olympic sized swimming pool at his immediate disposal. Baekhyun never really liked big bodies of water though, a terrifying yachting incident had deterred him from visiting the beach since then.

 

But something about the place and the stillness of the water tempted Baekhyun and he sure enjoyed himself. He didn’t realize the depth of the lake until he’s at the bottom, almost twenty feet away from the surface. He can see Chanyeol from where he’s at. The lawyer is doing some sort of underwater yoga, legs extending like an odd member of a synchronized swimming team. His long legs are distracting. Just as Baekhyun’s swimming back to the surface for much needed air, his foot gets stuck between two rocks. I’m going to die. Baekhyun panics, flailing uncontrollably. He is acutely aware of the oxygen slowly leaving his system. I just wanted to be happy. Baekhyun thinks miserably as his body fills with lake water. I don’t even have a will prepared. Baekhyun doesn’t really feel Chanyeol’s arm wrapping around his torso. When they break the surface, Baekhyun’s coughing up water and heaving air into his lungs at the same time. Chanyeol is looking at him worriedly and between staring at the lawyer’s face and contemplating the fact that he just got into two life threatening situations within twenty-four hours, Baekhyun realizes that all this is a really, really, terrible idea.

 

“It’s definitely not safe down there.” Baekhyun is wheezing.

 

Chanyeol’s brow is bleeding and he still has an arm around Baekhyun’s torso. They are actually far too close for two people who totally don’t know much about each other. Baekhyun doesn’t really care, far too busy reeling from his near-death experience and slowly wiping off the blood trailing down Chanyeol’s cheek. “And your brow is bleeding. Did something bite you?”

 

The lawyer frowns. “You kicked me when I was trying to remove your foot from those rocks.”

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

And just like that, Baekhyun becomes hyperaware of their incriminating closeness. He’s also about seventy-eight percent sure that Chanyeol may like men, or may prefer men as much as he preferred women, if the way he’s holding Baekhyun is any indication.

 

“You can let go of me now, Attorney Park.”

 

Chanyeol’s arm detaches from around Baekhyun’s waist. “Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I wouldn’t suggest you stop visiting the lake because it’s honestly one of the best things about this place, but I would appreciate if you swim close to the surface. Can’t have my buyer drown on his property. It would look bad on my file.”

 

Baekhyun merely chuckles.

 

//

 

The first day on Han Group’s new property (yes, Baekhyun is already claiming the Park’s land for the conglomerate) is a relative success. Though Baekhyun didn’t appreciate drowning on the very first day, things are relatively well. Sure enough, Chanyeol has warmed up to him though Baekhyun suspects this is just the lawyer playing mind games on him – that or he’s just guilty for said almost drowning incident.

 

Chanyeol is preparing dinner like a chef at work. He’s working up some pasta dish, flipping the skillet with evident expertise. Baekhyun watches his back and appreciates the broadness of his shoulder down to his tapered waist. _Not bad._

 

_“_ Say, are you doing that to show off or is flipping the pasta like that necessary?” 

 

Chanyeol laughs and tosses the pasta once more. “Both? It gets the sauce even.”

 

“I’m surprised you know how to cook, and pasta at that. I was beginning to think you’ve isolated yourself from groceries and things that normal people do.”

 

“I went to college in the middle of a bustling city, of course I know how to cook. And CEO Byun, we’re still in civilization.”

 

“Quite far from civilization, I suppose.”

 

_“_ Not far enough.” Chanyeol says, turning his back from the stove to face Baekhyun. “I still have Wi-Fi.” 

 

Baekhyun raises a brow at that, “Really?”

 

“I happen to use Netflix and send e-mails. I’m not a hermit CEO Byun.”

 

“Touché.”

 

Finally, Chanyeol grabs plates and fills both with freshly cooked pasta. The food smells heavenly and tasted equally good. Baekhyun throws in a praise or two, not that Chanyeol’s unaware of how talented he is in the kitchen. They talk mostly about mundane things. Chanyeol tells him about the rest of the property and the surrounding houses.

 

“They’re all good people.” Chanyeol remarks, chewing his pasta thoughtfully. He gets sauce over his upper lip that he cleans with an unassuming swipe of tongue. This, does not evade Baekhyun’s line of sight. “They were the original landowners. After my grandfather bought the property they were allowed to stay in their homes and were given jobs. Most are horticulturists. Perennial flowers usually came from this place but business has toned down after the land got downsized.”

 

“Downsized?”

 

Chanyeol hums, “This land here used to be six times bigger. But grandad died, and his will never really mentioned the rest of the land besides this twenty-acre property. He gave it to me for some reason, so here I am.”

 

Weird. The Parks were prolific landowners, more than half of the agricultural sector of the country was theirs. Baekhyun wonders if Chanyeol is lying, there must be more to it.

 

“Interesting. Was it easy to drop your career in exchange for all this?”

 

Chanyeol stands from the table, approaches the chrome, double door refrigerator and retrieves a tub of ice cream. “Good question – strawberries and cream?”

 

“I’ll pass.”

 

The lawyer returns to the table with a spoon stabbed into the tub of cold dessert. “Never really liked my job. I chose the path because my sister’s a doctor and well, thought it would’ve been good if I get into the same professional level as her, you get what I mean? Most of my family members are agricultural businessmen so they really didn’t know I was doing quite an unremarkable job in my field – I can say I’m good, but I haven’t done anything impactful. No one was there to criticize because they’re all busy running their farms and produce factories. My job got really soul-sucking at one point so I tried to reconnect with the inherent green thumb within my family. Lo and behold, I started enjoying it. Tell you what, I’m actually a good flower farmer.”

 

Baekhyun stares at him, “Really? Your garden’s an actual mess. But I admit, your rose shrubs are practically on steroids. My mother would love some tips. Her sharonskeep dying on her and yours are thriving.”

 

“Flowers need T.L.C CEO Byun.” Chanyeol laughs, “Tender loving care. But I guess my flowers love me a bit too much, they don’t require much effort to grow.”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head, quietly chuckling in amusement. “You’re unbelievable.”

 

___//_ _ _

 

After the unfortunate swimming escapade, Baekhyun tries to ignore the lovely lake for quite some time. He contents himself with a unique kind of nature immersion that he has never done in his whole twenty-nine years. He’s not exaggerating the sharp scent of the air, infused with pine and something inexplicably wonderful.

 

Baekhyun should thank Chanyeol since their arrangement had obviously led to quite an enjoyable retreat for him. There’s something magical about the place, and all its greenery.

 

Chanyeol lets him wander alone most days. Baekhyun refuses to think what the lawyer could be up to when he’s not tinkering with something inside the house or talking to his rose shrubs. Chanyeol is a nice man, but he’s got quite a character. Baekhyun enjoys his company, that he must admit.

 

Five days into their agreement, Baekhyun finds himself staring into the green depths of the forest bracketing Chanyeol’s land. The lawyer had warned him against exploring south of the property for two reasons. First, south of the property is technically not Chanyeol’s territory anymore and second, Chanyeol hasn’t explored the area himself. Baekhyun had merely rolled his eyes through Chanyeol’s elaborate tales of rural monsters and atrocities lurking in the depths of the unknown. The lawyer had a knack for Stephen King like narratives and Baekhyun was amused instead of frightened.

 

And now, as he stares at the somewhat inviting shadows casted by the lush trees, Baekhyun crosses the barbed wire separating Chanyeol’s land from what’s beyond. He manages to not cut himself and for that he smiles. Baekhyun doesn’t even think twice when he starts trekking into the forest.

 

He’s thirty minutes into the most comfortable walk of his life before realizing that he gave into his urges too late into the afternoon. Baekhyun looks up and is greeted by the steadily darkening horizon. He internally debates the pros and cons of this unexpected trip before realizing the consequences of his actions. Baekhyun sighs, grabs his phone (which died a minute later) and tries to find his way back.

 

He gets lost. The funny thing about getting lost is that Baekhyun had been expecting it. His curiosity got the better of him and in the end, it always leads him into generally unfavorable circumstances. He tries to regulate his heartbeat because the organ is literally trying to claw its way out of Baekhyun’s chest cavity, coupled with the fact that his mind is starting to process that he is indeed lost and its coping by giving Baekhyun unnecessary imagery.

 

He manages to get his panicking under control by taking in air,inhale, exhale _– remember what your therapist told you?_ inhale, exhale. It’s generally effective, though he can still hear his heart pounding through the threadbare shirt he borrowed from Chanyeol. It’s so dark and when Baekhyun looks up, the previously green trees seemed to have morphed into shapeless monsters trying to tear through the very ground he’s standing upon.

 

Oh, fuck.

 

Rewind to twenty years ago. There’s a young Baekhyun, around nine years old, petite for a boy his age, loud and cannot be trusted with his own independence. It was a camping trip for over privileged boys somewhere in South America. Baekhyun’s boarding school had charged his parents a scary amount of money just to ensure young Baekhyun’s safety and all that jazz.

 

It had been fun, there’s a big campfire, some practical jokes here and there. It was fun until a storm practically ravaged through the camp while Baekhyun and his classmates were on a trek. Baekhyun had been separated from his campmates and he wailed as hard as the storm that flipped everything around him. They found him, thirteen hours later, with a broken ulna and a claustrophobia that would cripple him for years.

 

It was the most horrifying experience Baekhyun has had in his entire life.

 

And currently he’s not having the most amazing time. “Chanyeol.” he breathes through his nose, grasping the dark for an exit he couldn’t seem to find. ”Chanyeol, help.”

 

It’s a beacon of light, shining at Baekhyun’s face that has him gasping. “Baekhyun!” The CEO couldn’t see the lawyer’s face but judging from the tone of Chanyeol’s voice, the latter seemed adequately spooked. “Are you alright?” Chanyeol grasps his shoulder and Baekhyun does not fight gravity as he lets his body fall on the younger’s broad chest. “CEO Byun?”

 

_“_ Baekhyun.” He gasps, “Call me Baekhyun.” 

 

The dark solidifies, Baekhyun passes out.

 

//

 

“I want to yell at you right now.”

 

Chanyeol sits on an armchair in front of Baekhyun’s temporary bed. He looks at Baekhyun with a quiet intensity to his gaze, fuming in a calm way, if you could call it that.

 

“I’m sorry.” Baekhyun’s throat is dry and the back of his head aches. “You can yell if you want.”

 

The lawyer sighs, running a palm through his messy hair. “Curiosity got the better of you huh? Saw anything mildly interesting?”

 

Baekhyun nods, “It was comforting, until I couldn’t see anything, and my claustrophobia kicked my brain into autopilot. Good times.”

 

The lawyer frowns, “See the land as much as you want but do it early. I’m not familiar with the surrounding areas.”

 

“You managed to find me though. Thanks. I’m beginning to think this whole rural experience is detrimental to my health. I’m just gonna stay in and watch Netflix or something.”

 

“I got lucky with my choice of direction. I wouldn’t have found you so easily if you strayed farther.” Chanyeol stands up from his seat. When he speaks, the edge to his voice is replaced by something soft. Baekhyun’s heart does stutter. “Take care of yourself, call me if you need anything.”

 

“Alright. Thank you Chanyeol.”

“Goodnight, Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun claps a hand to his chest. Yes, this whole rural immersion is really, really bad for his overall health.

 

___//_ _ _

 

Sticking true to his words, Baekhyun stays in for the next two days – taking pictures of Chanyeol’s roses and being a general annoyance to Chanyeol’s existence. The lawyer looks like he doesn’t really mind. He wakes up early in the morning, tends to his flowers (Baekhyun heard Chanyeol refer to the Dahlias as darlings and he’s definitely not going to let Chanyeol live that down when they’ve gotten close enough to throw petty insults at each other.) By the time Chanyeol starts cooking breakfast, Baekhyun trails out of his temporary bedroom and quietly watches Chanyeol move with startling ease.

 

Baekhyun doesn’t want to admit but he finds Chanyeol attractive. The lawyer is a good man, despite his penchant for threadbare clothes. Baekhyun also thinks it’s rather cute…the way he talks to his roses, dahlias and gladiolas like they’re actual human beings. It’s cute. Adorable.

 

Funny how it turned out like this. He was ruefully against the idea of even tampering with other people’s land, but he’ll give his father points for forcing him to this direction – to Chanyeol himself.

 

Snap. “Is there something on my face?”

_  
_

Baekhyun wakes up from his momentary daze. Chanyeol’s criminally gorgeous face is mere centimeters away from his and Baekhyun’s own visage probably resembled a ripe tomato at this moment. Chanyeol has supple lips, there’s a barely discernible scar on his left cheek, and he smells divine.

 

Oh, fuck.

 

“What?”

 

Chanyeol smiles – smirks, really – and there’s a damn dimple on his cheek. “Fine. Guess nothing’s on my face then.”

 

”What?”

 

_“_ Eat your breakfast Baek-sajang. I have homework for us today.” Baekhyun drowns his embarrassment with Chanyeol’s perfect dark brew. Damnit, he’s twenty-nine and far too old to be having some crush on a really, really gorgeous lawyer. It’s totally unprofessional. His eyes stray towards Chanyeol who’s now rummaging for what Baekhyun knows is his daily dose of banana milk. When he leans down, his shirt hikes up revealing a strip of muscled flesh that Baekhyun needs to get his hands on. Chanyeol lets out a quiet whoop as he retrieves the drink from the fridge. “Want some? I have strawberry milk if that’s what you like?”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. “No, thanks. I’ll stick to my coffee.”

 

Chanyeol shrugs, smiling attractively, “Alright then.”

 

Baekhyun’s going to die.

_  
_

_//_

_  
_

“So what homework were you talking about?”

 

Baekhyun never really cared about, nor noticed the surrounding houses dotting Park Chanyeol’s property. The quaint village finally looked alive since the first time he laid eyes on it. Colorful streamers attached to lampposts crisscrossing through the asphalt streets, and there’s so much flowers. When Baekhyun glances at Chanyeol, the man is practically beaming. For some odd reason, Baekhyun gets reminded of an overactive golden retriever puppy. Guess, he got such instincts from his mother. After all, to her, he is nothing but an overgrown corgi.

 

“You’re gonna love this day.” Chanyeol says.

 

Baekhyun shrugs. “I don’t have pollen allergy so guess, I’m good. What’s up anyway?”

 

There are kids. Baekhyun inwardly cringes as he can actually see children running around the place. They’re in traditional garb with flowers strewn over small bodies in the form of garlands and crowns. “Uhm Chanyeol, I think we’re not dressed for whatever occasion they have going on.”

 

“It’s just the preparations. Tomorrow’s the big day.”

 

“Uhm, yeah about that, what was it again?”

 

“This town has a longstanding tradition of holding some sort of festival before and after planting season. It’s a big celebration, really. There’s gonna be a lot going on. It’s gonna be fun.”

 

Baekhyun shrugs. He’s never experienced anything of the sort. Celebrations are always either stiff and formal family dinners, boring company galas, or wild rave parties where he gets knocked out too thoroughly to even function normally the next morning. He’s not fond of any of the mentioned except for a memorable New Year’s Eve rave where he met Jongdae. Baekhyun’s lucky he fell so hopelessly in love with a one-night stand. Too bad he and Jongdae never worked out.

 

“We’re going to help out with the preparations.” Chanyeol excitedly moves ahead of him, happy, it seems. He’s got a skip in his steps. He looks adorable _._ _Just stop, Byun Baekhyun. Get a grip._

 

_“_ Okay.” he says. Chanyeol leads him into the town center where practically everyone is bustling about. Flowers in all sorts of colors are piled high on top of each other. Baekhyun smiles, he’s starting to really like flowers. 

 

Suddenly, a rotund middle-aged woman approaches them. The lady looks stressed beyond belief with sweat dotting her wrinkled forehead. She’s not wearing any sort of traditional clothes, instead she has on matching black sweater and sweatpants – the hem tucked into neon pink boots. There’s a flowery apron attached to her being. “Chanyeol ah,” she says, finally smiling, “I’m glad you’re here. The delivery truck is lost again this year, we need you to bring them here or else we’re never going to finish putting up the rest of the décor.”

 

Chanyeol chuckles, “Relax eomoni. We’re gonna be fine, we got this.”

 

“Thank you, son. Now you need to hurry up,” The lady turns to Baekhyun, “and Baek-ssi?”

 

Baekhyun perks up, pointing to himself. “You know me, ma’am?”

 

“Of course. I have to know who wants to buy the land I grew old on.” Baekhyun laughs nervously, “Yeah. That’s me I guess.”

 

“You need to help with the decorations.” The lady hauls a pile of Babies Breath and dumps them onto Baekhyun’s unsuspecting form. “Have the ladies teach you how to string those. Add in some red or yellow okay. Chop-chop, we have to get things done.”

 

Like a mother hen, the old woman turns away, cornering some poor teenager into carrying out her tasks. Baekhyun turns to Chanyeol, “Eomoni?”

 

_“_ Oh, that’s Mrs. Ji. We’re not blood related though I wish we were. She kinda broke me into this place you know, taught me how to take care of my flowers, cooked me good food. She’s a good lady.” 

 

Baekhyun stares at the lawyer, “And you just casually told her about me? Don’t you think that’s invasion of privacy or something?”

 

“She stripped you naked.” Chanyeol laughs, “You blacked out on me. And that ridiculous three-piece suit you were wearing was dripping. I didn’t know what to do. So, I had her come over.”

 

“She stripped me?” That’s mildly horrifying to be honest.

 

“Yup. Don’t freak out.” Chanyeol stares at him and that goddamn smirk reappears on his gorgeous face again. “Or would you have preferred if it had been me who stripped you naked?”

 

Honestly, Baekhyun would prefer that.

 

Baekhyun smirks back. Two can play this game. “You wanted to see me naked, Park?” Chanyeol gives him a subtle once-over and smiles, like he’s imagining Baekhyun without clothing. “Maybe.”

 

Baekhyun can’t handle this. Frankly, he’s two minutes away from freaking out. Is this a game? Is Chanyeol playing with him because goddamn it, it’s working.

 

Baekhyun, unable to answer, turns his head away. “You’re really something else.”

 

“Maybe I am.” Chanyeol leans in, his lips grazing Baekhyun’s cheek. The CEO freezes on his spot. Chanyeol’s fingers remove something from Baekhyun’s hair. The latter truly felt like those four seconds moved too slowly.

 

“You got a flower on your hair.” Chanyeol says, leaning back. There’s a pink petal trapped between his index and thumb. He smiles, pats Baekhyun’s cheek and says, “I’ll see you later, Baek-sajang.”

 

____What was that?__ _ _

 

_“_ Baek-ssi the décor isn’t going to make itself you know.” That’s Mrs. Ji and Baekhyun’s cue to move. It’s actually quite funny how just a few days ago, he’d been manning the main branch of Han Group, sitting on that swivel chair and acting like he’s on top of the food chain. Fast forward a few days and he’s here, running around on the behest of some random person’s orders. 

 

He’s enjoying it though.

 

//

 

“That looks better.”

 

Baekhyun smiles. He has lots of hidden talents, but flower arrangement is not one of them. It took a whole pile of dahlias and roses before Mrs. Ji (who insisted that Baekhyun calls her eomoni too) is satisfied.

 

The festival, Baekhyun learns, is a culmination event. Imagine a spring festival in Japan but smaller, more locally involved in grandeur and scale. They light lanterns and have night dances in the town center. People wear traditional clothing, women have flowers on their head and flowery patterns on their clothes.

 

Apparently, a lot of people also sell stuff – memorabilia and a ton of food to the local tourist Chanyeol leads every year.

 

“Chanyeol seems involved.”

 

Mrs. Ji clicks her tongue, “Of course he is. He visits every year when his grandfather had been alive. After the poor man’s death – may he find peace where he is – the land’s been sold off. We are not sure if this is the only patch of land that remains. Chanyeol has stayed here since then.”

 

“You do know that he’s a lawyer in the city right.”

 

“Yes. He says the profession drives him mad.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I do not know. He never tells me. Occasionally, he disappears but he always comes back.”

 

“Where’d you think he goes?”

 

“To Seoul. Isn’t that where young people spend their youth?”

 

Baekhyun laughs, “If spending our youth means wasting away on tedious jobs, then yes, I guess that’s where everyone is.”

 

Baekhyun ponders and comes to realize that he couldn’t really imagine Chanyeol in the big city, wearing crisp suits and driving around a shiny car. To Baekhyun, Chanyeol’s this kind man who wears unfashionably ripped denim pants and threadbare shirts, talks to his flowers and makes great pancake. He feels bad to think that he’ll deprive Chanyeol of this land where he obviously belongs.

 

Baekhyun tries to ignore the painful twist in his chest at the thought.

 

___//_ _ _

 

Baekhyun curses his meagre height. He’s already on a goddamned ladder and he still can’t reach over to place the other end of the streamer around the lamppost.

 

He must have had the best dreams when god was out there sprinkling everyone with height and long legs.

 

“Damn it.” Baekhyun groans, reaching up with his fingers “Just a little bit – “

 

He hates this.

 

“You know, I’m beginning to see a pattern here.” Baekhyun had lost footing on top of the ladder and before he could break his back on the hard ground, his savior Park Chanyeol (god bless his soul, inner Baekhyun rolls his eyes) is suddenly there, like fucking Prince Charming ready to save the goddamned day.

 

Baekhyun needs a break from Chanyeol’s smug looking face. But he has to admit, Chanyeol’s a really fine-looking son of a gun – if he weren’t so, Baekhyun might have actually punched him on the face.

 

Baekhyun shakes his head, “No.” and points a pretty finger to Chanyeol’s noticeably hard chest, “you just happen to always be there when I’m in trouble. The way I see it, you’re attracting bad luck in my area. That’s no-no.”

 

Chanyeol steadies him, chuckling as he does. The CEO tries to ignore the warmth radiating from Chanyeol’s hand that’s seeping right under his clothes. It makes him flush. “That, or maybe you’re just clumsy and I happen to conveniently be there to save your ass. No words of gratitude for your knight in shining armor?”

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, “Oh thank you, brave knight!” enunciates dramatically, slapping a hand to his chest for effect. ”Can this fair maiden offer you a kiss?”

 

Obviously, it was a joke. Baekhyun’s making pouty faces at Chanyeol because he could, and he happens to have a specific talent which involves making a fool of himself. What he didn’t expect before pulling such a ridiculous stunt is for Chanyeol to lean in and leave a chaste peck on his left cheek.

 

The lawyer’s lips brush Baekhyun’s ear, “You’re cute Baek-sajang.” He tells a confused (but otherwise elated) Baekhyun. “Have I told you I like men, too.”

 

____Oh shit. There it is, the big reveal.__ _ _

 

_“_ The décor isn’t going to put itself up!” 

 

Baekhyun chuckles awkwardly, “Let’ continue this conversation, later shall we?”

 

____For god’s sake, I can’t breathe.__ _ _

 

___//_ _ _

 

Baekhyun likes to think he has fine taste in men, the problem is he’s not exactly sure which fine men swing his way too. Eunhyun tells him that he has gaydar problems, or it’s either completely non-existent (whatever the hell a gaydar is.) Baekhyun trusts his sister in terms of stuff like this, after all, it was because of her that he met Jongdae.

 

So, to think that Chanyeol outright admitted his sexual preference makes Baekhyun’s toes curl in an odd concoction of embarrassment and delight. Maybe his lingering looks did get to Chanyeol. Baekhyun should tell Eunhyun, she’d be happy.

 

Baekhyun files the thought for later. It doesn’t erase the smile on his face though.

 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity. The village is finally covered in color – streamers and garlands made of flowers strewn about in every crook and cranny. It’s a pretty sight. It’s something Baekhyun does not see in a regular basis. He’s used to fast paced life in skyscrapers, chrome monoliths and districts ran by money.

 

The laid back provincial foreground of the village is a breath of fresh air. He could get used to this environment.

 

In hindsight, Chanyeol was right, everyone can fall in love with this place. It has its own undeniable charm.

 

“Baek-sajang.”

 

Baekhyun hums in answer. He then turns, looks at Chanyeol and smiles. “I’m beginning to really love this place.”

 

“I told you.” Chanyeol says, “wanna take a walk?”

 

“Sure.”

 

___//_ _ _

 

The lawyer has a certain way with things. He reminds Baekhyun of a particular friend he had back in college, a very special friend. To put it clearly, Baekhyun had been in love with this friend, and because of this pesky little feeling, he managed to ruin that same friendship.

 

It’s not apparent but Baekhyun is reserved about meeting new people because he gets attached far too quickly. He tries not to get overly fond of them because he happens to be very talented in driving them away.

 

Then here comes Chanyeol, with his vague smiles and peculiarly interesting personality. He’s definitely special, in a way that he puts Baekhyun at ease, he’s comfortable to be with. Baekhyun doesn’t have to be on guard about his actions and words, he can shed the pretentious front he has up all the time and be alright.

 

They’re not even talking, and usually in classic Baekhyun fashion, he’d already be scrambling to fill up the dead air with useless chatter. He doesn’t need to do that with Chanyeol.

 

“Tell me about yourself, Baek-sajang.”

 

Baekhyun looks up as he conjures an answer. The overcast sky steadily darkens with impending rainfall. Baekhyun hopes the weather is agreeable once the celebrations begin tomorrow.

 

“I pretend to know that I have everything under control, but in reality, I’m still as lost as everyone else.” Baekhyun answers.

 

“I wasn’t expecting such depth for an answer to an overused question.” Chanyeol chuckles, the sound deep and somewhat familiar. “I wanted to know what your favorite color is, or if you’re a dog person or something like that.”

 

“I like maroon, but dark green is growing on me. I don’t have a dog, but my mother tells me I look like her corgi.” Baekhyun frowns and tips his chin up to face Chanyeol. “Do you think I look like a dog?”

 

The lawyer looks like he’s definitely trying to suppress his booming laughter, his amusement, at Baekhyun’s expense. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, I do think you look like a puppy Baek-sajang. Maybe it’s the clothes. You were wearing a suit the first time I saw you. You didn’t look like a dog then.”

 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes, “I’m glad my three-piece did its job.”

 

“It wasn’t a three-piece though.” Chanyeol remarks, looks knowing.

 

“What do you mean? I was wearing a dark blue, three-piece Ferragamo the day I came here. I thought it made me look like someone you could take seriously.”

 

“Really?” Chanyeol smirks, “I’m bad with details.”

 

The statement confuses Baekhyun. One, because Chanyeol is obviously lying; and two, has Chanyeol met him before?

 

Just as Baekhyun tries to question the other man, the sky opens, and a gentle rain-shower pours upon the earth. Chanyeol grabs his hand and with the biggest smile on his utterly perfect face says, “Let’s go Baekhyun.”

 

The syllables of Baekhyun’s name tumbling out of Chanyeol’s lips make the him smile. Pulse racing, Baekhyun allows himself to be pulled. He can hear happiness in his own laughter.

 

Running under the rain, huh?

 

Chanyeol is definitely special.

 

//

 

“Mine’s yellow.” Chanyeol tells him.

 

They’re in the large bathroom inside Baekhyun’s temporary quarters. Baekhyun glances at the lawyer, who’s currently in the act of drying his hair.

 

“What?”

 

Chanyeol faces Baekhyun and slings a fresh towel over the businessman’s head. “My color. Reminds me of sunshine.”

 

____Pat.__ _ _

 

____Pat _.___ _ _

 

____Pat.__ _ _

 

_“_ You know, I find you really adorable.” 

 

Oh hell.

 

“Uh,” is Baekhyun’s initial response, followed by, “do you want me to say that I found you unbearably attractive the first time I saw you? That, even after you almost cost me my Bentley.”

 

Chanyeol smiles, cups Baekhyun’s cheeks and leans in. His kiss is soft, almost experimental as lips slowly move against Baekhyun’s own. He can’t function properly, neurons going haywire at the sensation. He’s helpless, allowing himself to succumb at Chanyeol’s soft touch.

 

Baekhyun’s supposed to be good at the flirting – words and suggestive glances shared over liquor and party drugs – but this is new. Chanyeol’s presence is overwhelming, too great to deal with. Baekhyun merely stands there and lets Chanyeolliterally steal his breath away.

 

“Thanks.” Says Chanyeol as he breaks the kiss. Baekhyun’s dazed and the small smile on Chanyeol’s face makes Baekhyun’s toes curl and this time, in pure delight. If he’d been a cat, he might have rolled over and purred. “I find you unbearably attractive too.”

 

Where’s his witty tongue when he needed it the most.

 

“Have a good night, Baekhyun.”

 

He remains rooted on the same spot long after Chanyeol exits the room. Understandably, sleep does not come to him as he thinks about Chanyeol’s lips against his own.

 

____This is a very, very bad idea _.___ _ _

 

___//_ _ _

 

Though almost sleepless, Baekhyun wakes up unusually excited. He hears louder, festive noises emanating from outside his temporary bedroom, and smiles.

 

Today’s the day! Like a child psyched for his first ever school trip, Baekhyun tumbles into the bathroom and prepares himself for the day. He’s never experienced local festivities so he’s understandably happy.

 

Chanyeol’s already in the kitchen, listening to the hip-hop blasting from the overhead speakers as he whips up a hearty breakfast.

 

“I’m unusually excited.” Baekhyun remarks, pouring himself some of Chanyeol’s exquisite brew from the coffee pot. He tries to forget what happened between them last night but as soon as Baekhyun looks at Chanyeol, an uncontrollable desire to touch him makes Baekhyun’s grip around his coffee mug, loosen.

 

Chanyeol is so, so attractive. God, Baekhyun wants to kiss him senseless.

 

“Good morning to you too.” Chanyeol says, expression calm. “You’re going to like it. There will be stalls around the village, then at night they’re lighting up lanterns.”

 

Baekhyun feels himself beaming, “Great!”

 

His grandmother used to tell him about the lanterns people send into the sky, these lanterns carry messages and wishes to the gods and if one wishes hard enough, whatever it is may be granted. “But, only for those kids with a good heart.”

 

He tried to be a good kid and wished for good things, wished for happiness. Baekhyun believed his grandmother then and even now that he’s almost thirty, a little part of him remains a child.

 

//

 

The village seemed to have transformed overnight. Its once laidback and calm surroundings are suddenly teeming with life. Noises of happy people echo throughout the colorful streets, and stalls selling various memorabilia and other whatnots are seen in every other corner.

 

It’s loud, chaotic, colorful and all too wonderful. Baekhyun’s absolutely in awe with it all. He drags one too willing Park Chanyeol here and there, the lawyer suffers no harm from Baekhyun’s endless childlike excitement and desire to try everything the town has to offer.

 

Chanyeol obliges, almost indulgently. Baekhyun really adores this part of Chanyeol more than he’d like to admit. It makes his heart flutter. He barely knows what genuine happiness feels like but maybe this feeling – the kind that spreads pleasant tingling warmth to every corner of his being and makes him feel so, so alive -is genuine happiness.

 

He has Chanyeol to thank for that.

 

//

 

The celebrations start to wind down at night. The ambiance is intimate and calmer than the day, with paper lanterns illuminating every street. It’s ethereal glow a sight to behold.

 

Earlier, Chanyeol had him dress into a deep blue hanbok the lawyer wears the same garb in dark maroon. They look like a couple – Baekhyun’s not entirely sure if that’s a bad or a good thing.

 

Maybe it’s the haze of Baekhyun’s realizations clouding his sane thoughts, but he thinks Chanyeol is relatively gentler with him. Baekhyun finds his little quirks helplessly endearing. On top of that, the lawyer has been quite handsy lately. Since the kiss Baekhyun tries so hard to forget, Chanyeol almost can’t keep his hands to himself. Somehow there’s always a palm down Baekhyun’s back and lingering around Baekhyun’s waist, fingers brushing over Baekhyun’s cheeks.

 

And dear god, Baekhyun thrives under Chanyeol’s touches.

 

He is falling fast, a continuous downward spiral. Baekhyun could only hope that he does not end up picking the remnants of what’s shattered after the dust has settled. Eventually, if it happens, Baekhyun has no one and nothing to blame other than himself. At this point, alarm signals blare in his head, and it’s his choice to ignore them.

 

To complicate things, he can’t read Chanyeol. The man’s such a consternation – an open book with his secrets hidden between the lines Baekhyun cannot decipher. Baekhyun’s merely trying to look for an indication that he’s not the only one feeling something, but Chanyeol has given him nothing so far.

 

But what’s the use anyway? Byun Baekhyun is here for a reason and that reason didn’t happen to include baiting himself to emotions he’s clearly susceptible to. He shouldn’t be concerned if Chanyeol thinks nothing of him more than a greedy buyer trying to rob his land.

 

Internally, Baekhyun’s already questioning his reasons. He’d rather not remove Chanyeol from his home, from his roses and from the locals who care about him. It’s almost criminal. But the decision has been made long ago, and Baekhyun’s powerless against it.

 

“Sometimes, I wonder what’s in this head of yours.”

 

It’s the back of Chanyeol’s hand, brushing against Baekhyun’s cheek that successfully derails the businessman from his line of thought. Baekhyun glances at Chanyeol, who’s pinning a ring of flowers on top of Baekhyun’s messy hair.

 

“Why?”

 

Chanyeol smiles at him and Baekhyun’s insides feel like they’re melting. He’s done crowning Baekhyun with flowers, and his palms remain pressed against Baekhyun’s cheeks. “You hide emotions really well. It makes me want to unravel whatever it is that’s making you blank out.”

 

“You’re better off not knowing.” Baekhyun turns away, successfully removing Chanyeol’s touch upon his skin. The lawyer’s gaze does things to his conscious, and he’s unable to decide if they’re bad or good things.

 

“Hmm.”

 

In true town festival culture, the festivities end with a dance. Everyone’s in the town square, men and women in all sorts of pairs gather to share and bask in the ambiance. The mood is calm, a certain warmth blanketing the entire atmosphere. Baekhyun feels like he’s seeing things through rose tinted glasses – it’s romantic and he’s certainly out of place.

 

The lantern lighting ceremony finally begins. Chanyeol procures for them a red paper lantern with elaborate flowers drawn on its surface. “For good health and prosperity.” The man says as he lights it up. The orange glow spills on Chanyeol’s visage, all sharp bones and pronounced edges. Baekhyun’s heart skips a beat – how pathetic.

 

When Chanyeol wraps calloused fingers around Baekhyun’s thin wrist, the latter willingly obliges. Baekhyun allows himself to succumb to Chanyeol’s touch, his scent, his warmth. He’s powerless against it. Baekhyun isn’t surprised, this willingness is merely a confirmation to what was once a possibility. But these emotions have taken root so deeply, that they’re not just possibilities but facts.

 

He’s torn, standing under the threat of disownment by his own father, or risk hurting Chanyeol by taking him away from the land he adores dearly. Baekhyun doesn’t want to weigh one bad decision against another. It makes the back of his head ache. So, he closes his eyes, lets Chanyeol press their bodies together in a comfortable sway and forgets. He sinks into Chanyeol’s comforting caress, like he’s finally home.

 

“Why does this feel so familiar?” Baekhyun’s arms come up and wrap around Chanyeol’s neck and he’s murmuring into the man’s clothed shoulder. “Why are you so familiar? I feel like I’ve known you a lifetime.”

 

Chanyeol’s embrace tightens around Baekhyun’s waist, “I don’t know, Baek. Maybe we’ve known each other a lifetime, but I don’t know.”

 

In that moment, everyone around them could have ceased to exist and Baekhyun wouldn’t give a damn. He wants to hold Chanyeol and never let go. “I wish I’d known you before all this. It wouldn’t be as hard.”

 

“It’s like you’re telling me it would’ve been better if we never met each other.” Chanyeol chuckles quietly, his fingers are now drawing patterns on Baekhyun’s lower back. “What makes it so hard Baekhyun, tell me. I want to fix it.”

 

That’s valiant of him, but Baekhyun doesn’t need some brave knight in shining armor who’ll fix all his problems. Baekhyun needs someone to make him yield and put down the armor around his thoughts. He doesn’t want to think about the consequences of his actions, he wants to feel – for once.

 

With these thoughts, Baekhyun leans in and allows his attraction to take control. Chanyeol meets him halfway, warm lips slanting against warm lips. Baekhyun smiles. He’s entirely unopposed, if Chanyeol wants to steal his very breath away, _by all means _please do.__

 

Baekhyun likes the way Chanyeol kisses – with adoration. He holds Baekhyun like he’s a piece of glass, he’s so careful and restrained, it’s almost adorable. But Baekhyun doesn’t want restraint, he wants Chanyeol to snap and break him piece by thorough piece and put him back all over again. Baekhyun releases a short exhale when they part, fingers grasp the front of Chanyeol’s hanbok and twists, the expensive fabric curling under his palms. “Let’s go back.”

 

It’s hard to get used to Chanyeol’s touches. Even the temporary loss of it rattles Baekhyun’s nerves. He doesn’t let Chanyeol step into the threshold before he kisses him again. This time, Chanyeol does not hold back.

 

“Want you.” Baekhyun tells him. Chanyeol’s gaze darkens, pupils blown wide with lust, “please Chanyeol I – “

 

Chanyeol shoves Baekhyun, pushes his whole body down that they’re falling to the floor. The carpeting produces a muted thud as Baekhyun’s back comes into contact. The pain does not register. He could only think about Chanyeol’s lips on his own skin. He wants Chanyeol to leave a mark, he’d like to remember this tomorrow.

 

___“You have no idea –“_ _ _

 

Hands down Baekhyun’s body, undoing the knots of his clothes with inherent ease. Baekhyun can barely hold on for the ride.

 

___“that I want you so _fucking _much.”___ _ _

 

Lips on Baekhyun’s neck, on his chest, hands down the inner side of his thighs – Baekhyun gasps. Chanyeol creates a whole map on Baekhyun’s body, marked with the lightest shade of red against the canvas of pale skin. He could only moan in appreciation, his arms flying around Chanyeol’s neck and pulling him down. “Nothing you can’t fix this time.” Baekhyun manages to whisper as Chanyeol kneels between his parted legs.

 

Clothes are stripped, pulled down thick thighs and peeled off defined torsos. Baekhyun’s crying out, muffling his pitiful voice against Chanyeol’s chest. The other man turns him over, hands over the headboard and knees scratching against the bedcovers. Chanyeol kisses every point of Baekhyun’s spine from the base of his skull to the skin above his ass. Chanyeol’s unraveling him, breaking him piece by little piece until he’s sure there’s nothing coming out of his mouth but a litany of Chanyeol’s name.

 

The resounding noise of skin slapping against skin is obscene. But the back of Baekhyun’s lust hazed mind, thinks it’s alluring.

 

“Chanyeol.” The way it tumbles out of Baekhyun’s lips is downright filthy, but at the same time, reverent. “Stop, I’m gonna –“

 

The sound of Baekhyun’s moans gets muffled by Chanyeol’s mouth over his lips. Baekhyun’s too far gone to give a proper a reaction. Chanyeol flips him – back against the sheets, slings Baekhyun’s thighs over his shoulders and takes him.

 

The businessman screws his eyes shut, gasping. He digs his nails on Chanyeol’s back, trying to find leverage as Chanyeol fucks him so thoroughly out of his mind.

 

____”Chanyeol, Chanyeol, Chanyeol – “_ _ _ _

 

Baekhyun gets tipped over the edge so hard, he almost blanks out. Chanyeol chases his own release, further wreaking havoc on Baekhyun’s overly sensitive body. “Fuck, you feel so good.” Baekhyun pulls him down, slotting their lips together in an open-mouthed kiss. Chanyeol’s breathing heavily against him.

 

Baekhyun does not want to let go. It’s uncomfortable with fluids drying off on their skin but he doesn’t want to let go of Chanyeol. He does not want this feeling to reach its conclusion.

 

“Yes.” Chanyeol says, kissing the line of Baekhyun’s throat. “maybe we’ve known each other for a whole lifetime.”

 

Baekhyun hides his smile on Chanyeol’s neck and holds him even closer. He does not want to let go, not now.

 

//

 

Baekhyun wakes up to an empty bed.

 

Earlier they’d retreated to Chanyeol’s bedroom and with enough coaxing, Baekhyun manages to enjoy a second round of unhurried, sensual fucking. The last he remembered was falling asleep wrapped around Chanyeol’s embrace.

 

“Yeol?”

 

It’s 4:47 am according to the glaring white display of the digital clock on the nightstand. Baekhyun peels the blankets off his body and picks whatever clothing he finds on the floor – it’s his own blue hanbok from last night – and wraps it around his body.

 

“Baek-sajang.”

 

Baekhyun follows the man’s voice almost unconsciously. He finds Chanyeol in the balcony, leaning against the metal railing. There’s a cigarette loosely dangling from his fingers, half charred with its ashes falling unto the ground.

 

“Why are you up so early?” Baekhyun asks, pressing himself against Chanyeol’s back and wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s waist. “and you smoked?”

 

“Not always.” Chanyeol says as he turns around. He slides cold palms under Baekhyun’s clothes, eventually situating atop the skin of Baekhyun’s waist. “You’ve really forgotten about me.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Chanyeol chuckles, “The first time we met, you weren’t wearing that obnoxious three-piece. You had on a white shirt and a black coat. You were drunk.”

 

Baekhyun stirs in Chanyeol’s embrace. He’s so needy and he loathes himself for being so weak. He can’t even fight his urges.

 

”What?”

 

“Velvet – about five weeks ago. There’s this man who made a pass at me. He was beautiful, so I humored him. He’d been drunk out of his mind, but I knew what he and I wanted. I was willing to give it to him. We got into his car – a fucking red monstrosity, in my own opinion,” Chanyeol chuckles, “I just wanted a body to fuck that night, no strings like what I usually do, but then this guy started crying for no apparent reason. I was mildly scared. Then he started to talk about his family, of how he felt like sinking under the demands of his father and just…everything. I felt like a criminal for seeing him so vulnerable in front of a complete stranger.”

 

And suddenly Baekhyun remembers the man he’d met in what seemed so long ago. He remembers the way his head pounded and the drugs in his system that amplified and dulled his sensations at the same time.

 

The familiarity.

 

There had been a reason why Baekhyun opened so easily, why’d he been able to spill his darkest secrets to a stranger. It was because Chanyeol’s a familiar stranger.

 

“Do I know you?” Baekhyun asks and he’s so afraid of Chanyeol’s answer. The lawyer tips his face up and kisses him so gently.

 

“That time I didn’t know it was you.” Chanyeol answers, “until I saw you again a few days later bearing the name of someone from my past. I can’t believe you’ve completely forgotten about me.”

 

Baekhyun’s head hurts. “I don’t understand.”

 

Ever so patient, Chanyeol merely holds him. “I was five years old the first time I met you. Our families were business alliances. Everyone liked you, they wanted to marry my older sister to you.”

 

____A nine-year-old Byun Baekhyun thought Park Yoora was pretty. She had pretty long hair, pretty brown eyes and an equally pretty smile. She reminded Baekhyun of his own younger sister, Eunhyun.__ _ _

 

___Yoora was the granddaughter of grandpa Byun’s friend._ _ _

 

___“You should be nice to her.” Grandpa told him, “She’s going to stick with you in the future.” Baekhyun thought grandpa meant Yoora was going to be his friend._ _ _

 

___However, he could never seem to get close to Park Yoora. The girl was not aloof, but she was not friendly either. She didn’t seem to like Baekhyun that much because she always opted to avoid playing or talking with him. Baekhyun wanted to share some of his books with her because he was sure Yoora wouldn’t want to play with him on the ground and get her white shoes dirtied. Maybe she’d like to read the stories he loved, instead?_ _ _

 

___Baekhyun really wanted to be close. She was a year older than him and Baekhyun would have been glad to call her his friend. But Park Yoora, with her small smiles and polite behavior, never wanted to be Byun Baekhyun’s friend. So, one day, Baekhyun stopped trying._ _ _

 

___Ten years later, at nineteen, Baekhyun’s father finally told him that he was betrothed to the Parks’ only granddaughter, Yoora. Baekhyun hated the arrangement but kept his mouth shut._ _ _

 

___A year or two prior, he also realized he preferred men over women, further complicating the situation. But he remained silent._ _ _

 

___Eunhyun was starting her ascension into mainstream music all that despite being a classical pianist. That time had been the most glorious years of the Byun family, Eunhyun was its greatest pride and joy and Baekhyun didn’t want to remove the spotlight from her._ _ _

 

___Baekhyun agreed to marry Park Yoora._ _ _

 

___Meanwhile, Yoora had other plans. Two years later, she eloped with her lover and by doing so, the engagement was no more but a broken business allegiance and good ties, severed. As far as Baekhyun’s concerned, the Byuns refused to conduct business with the other family and Baekhyun’s hasn’t heard of Yoora since. Word on the grapevine is that, the oldest of the Park heirs had been disowned, leaving the clan’s massive lands and prolific agricultural business in the hands of the younger park, who’s been unnamed since._ _ _

 

Baekhyun blinks, “You’re Yoora’s brother?”

 

Chanyeol nods, “If you want to know, your ex-fiancée has four-year-old identical twins. Little demons, I’m telling you. they drive me insane.”

 

The businessman frowns, “But why can’t I remember you?”

 

“We never formally met.” Chanyeol sighs, “I was a fat kid, with thick spectacles. Ring a bell?”

 

“You fell off a sycamore tree and broke your arm.” Baekhyun trails, the memory appearing quite blurry and fragmented. He remembers a boy with plump cheeks, straining to return a fallen bird nest which had been perched upon a low-lying branch. Baekhyun had stood there and watched. Eventually, the boy did manage to replace the fallen nest, but he slipped off and fell. It had been Baekhyun who screamed for the in-house staff because the boy hadn’t been screaming for himself.

 

“It hurt a lot.” Chanyeol’s quiet laughter stirs their otherwise peaceful surroundings. “I had a dislocated elbow and I had to wear a bright orange cast for the next month. It wasn’t a good experience.”

 

Baekhyun smiles, amused. “It’s such a small world.”

 

//

 

One week.

 

Baekhyun can’t stop himself from pacing. He’s already rounded the neighborhood twice, stared at the lake, played with Mrs. Ji’s grandchildren and whatnot. He’s still distracted.

 

One week, a decision has to be made and Baekhyun finds himself completely unwilling to make such decision. Chanyeol seems to have entirely forgotten why Baekhyun’s prancing in his land in the first place. The past few days have been quite euphoric for the both of them. But Baekhyun has responsibilities – promises he had to keep. Earlier in the week, his father had begun demanding updates from the younger businessman, each email sounding more urgent and threatening than its predecessor. Baekhyun’s stress level is starting to skyrocket.

 

“I really want to know what’s making you frown so deeply.”

 

Baekhyun leans back and lets Chanyeol’s arms envelop him. He feels tiny.

 

“You don’t seem alright.”

 

He sighs, “It’s nothing. I wish you wouldn’t have to go tonight.”

 

“I’m sorry Baek. These meetings are tedious on top of being unnecessary.”

 

Chanyeol’s rarely around the last few days. He’s been at meetings, Baekhyun doesn’t believe him but he has no right to pry on Chanyeol’s private life. Though it stings when he comes home and smells of perfume that clearly only rubbed off on him. Baekhyun ends up demanding more physical intimacy to make himself feel better.

 

Maybe Chanyeol’s using him because he’s convenient but it’s still his fault for playing along.

 

There’s an untouched piano across the room, an old Steinway that’s been gathering dust under some unlighted corner. Eunhyun would have been mad at the treatment of such instrument. “You never told me you play.”

 

“I don’t.” Chanyeol tells him, “that’s my grandfather’s.”

 

Baekhyun detangles himself from Chanyeol’s hold and takes tentative steps towards the instrument, smiling as he runs his fingers through alternating obsidian and ivory keys. “My younger sister’s a pianist.”

 

“Who wouldn’t know Byun Eunhyun.” Chanyeol comments, “she’s reached a living legend status.”

 

Baekhyun sits in front of the instrument, places his fingers over the keys and starts a familiar melody.

 

He sings.

 

____The stage lights were too bright. A fidgety teenager stood upon the stage. His fingers were shaking, and he tried to hide this by grasping the microphone with both hands. Baekhyun was nervous, but he knew his friends were there, cheering their lungs out. He couldn’t see Sehun, Minseok or Yixing but he knew they were there._ _ _ _

 

___A familiar melody filled the auditorium and upon instinct, Baekhyun parted his mouth and sang._ _ _

 

___Minseok always told him he sang beautifully and if he really wanted it, he could pursue music for a living. Baekhyun believed he was just mediocre and he’d rather take on the family business than follow his younger sister’s pursuits in the music industry. Baekhyun wasn’t like Eunhyun. Eunhyun had a gift – she was eleven years old and was already among the best musicians in this side of the planet. Baekhyun could only wish to do half the great things she’s achieved in a relatively short time._ _ _

 

___When the song finished, everyone in that enclosed space, cheered. Baekhyun was happy. He’s fine with the smaller things._ _ _

 

_“_ You sing?” 

 

Baekhyun hadn’t realized that Chanyeol moved and now stands behind him.

 

“Everyone can sing.” He says and gently replaces the piano lid. “Pardon my piano skills, I’m never going to be as good as my sister.”

 

Chanyeol remains unusually quiet. When Baekhyun turns around, he sees the man staring at him, expression unrecognizable.

 

Eventually, as if a passing thought Chanyeol says, “That was beautiful. You were hiding such a good voice all this time when you could have been out there recording songs for the world to hear.”

 

“Everyone says that.” Baekhyun stands up, chuckling as he does, “It’s not worth a damn. I’m not like my sister, she’s gifted.”

 

“Stop doing that to yourself.” Chanyeol tells him, frowning. “You keep putting yourself down. You don’t have to be as great as your sister, or everyone else for that matter. You’ve your own value and you’re worth it Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun has encountered the same statement, uttered by so many people and yet he’s unable to believe it. He’s a pathological pessimist. He tries to maintain the passive and undeterred outlook, sometimes makes a joke about his own worthlessness but it’s all a front.

 

And Baekhyun is tired of putting up a front all the time but what can he do?

 

He smiles and leans in to kiss Chanyeol. He does not want to have this argument with the other man when they have such limited time together. It’s not worth it.

 

“Go to your meeting.” Baekhyun tells him, “Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the deal.”

 

“Fuck the meeting.” Chanyeol says, grabbing the back of Baekhyun’s neck, “It’ll totally be unnecessary anyway.”

 

//

 

The next morning finds him splayed all over the lawyer’s naked body. Baekhyun sighs, buries his face in between Chanyeol’s neck and shoulder.

 

Day twenty-seven, commence.

 

He’d had a couple of realizations last night. One, and most important of said realizations, is that he’d manage to completely fall for the younger man. Pathetic, it took Chanyeol twenty-seven days. Baekhyun would already receive a bullet for him and if that’s not the most pathetic thing he’s gotten himself into in the last month, Baekhyun’s sure it’s got to be his premature death that would take the cake.

 

Another realization is about the deal. Baekhyun’s made up his mind, after three days, he’d march right into his father’s office and say that he’s failed him.

 

He can’t do it. He can’t take Chanyeol away from this land, he can’t take Mrs. Ji and the rest of the people away from this place.

 

He’ll be brave for Chanyeol and be a coward for his father.

 

It’s a hard pill to swallow, and it will bring catastrophic consequences that Baekhyun would rather not think about, lest he wants to send himself into a nervous breakdown. But he’s made up his mind, and he can do this.

 

And like a sordid reminder, his phone lights up from the nightstand. Baekhyun picks it up and on top of his notifications is another message from his father. It’s still about the land.

 

The thing about the older Byun is that he never loses his calm. He’s a perpetually composed man, he can be angry yes, but never angry in a way that the expression on his face changes into pure rage.

 

But as Baekhyun reads through the equally threatening and haphazardly written message, he’s a hundred percent sure that his father is not the calmest man right now. He’s almost afraid for himself, in three days’ time he’ll be in the receiving end of that rage and he’s not really looking forward to it.

 

As he scrolls down his inbox, there’s an unread message from Eunhyun from a few days ago.

 

____They want me to marry a complete stranger. I can’t explain – I don’t even know what’s happening.__ _ _

 

___Grandfather wants me to do it. Dad doesn’t agree and so does mom but they’re telling me they can’t stop this until you’ve got the deed to that land. I don’t know what’s happening Baek and I’m scared, please come home._ _ _

 

Oh. There goes the reason for his father’s rage. If it concerns Eunhyun, expect the old Byun to move heaven and earth. He’d do everything for his daughter, she’s that precious.

 

Baekhyun screws his eyes shut, pulse racing and head hurting. He’s caught in what’s probably the most difficult road he’s ever have to cross. It’s not just his father, it’s Eunhyun and on the other hand, there’s Chanyeol. This wouldn’t have been such a complicated problem when he didn’t get himself tangled in Chanyeol’s life, when he disagreed to that ridiculous deal they had in the first place. He could’ve finished this a month ago without hurting himself and everyone involved.

 

//

 

Consequently, breakfast is a mundane affair. Chanyeol’s still doing the cooking but Baekhyun can’t bring himself to appreciate the view. He’s distraught.

 

It’s Chanyeol who places a cup of coffee in front of Baekhyun and snaps his fingers. There’s an easy smile gracing his visage, unworried. “You don’t want your coffee?”

 

Baekhyun shakes his head. He pours three heaps of sugar into the cup, sighing as he stirs the concoction. Chanyeol seems surprised, he’s never seen Baekhyun pour sugar into his coffee.

 

“I love this land.” I love you. “I won the deal.”

 

Chanyeol smiles, “I’ve signed the paperwork a long time ago. You don’t have to worry about it, this land is all yours.”

 

Silence stretches between them like a cold blanket. Baekhyun hadn’t been expecting that.

 

“I’m forcing you out of the place you love. All the people in here will have to relocate somewhere else. Some of them will be placed in apartment towers in bustling cities. It’ll be different. Tell me, are you okay with all of this?”

 

“I’m not. But a deal is a deal. It’s okay Baek, I can handle it.”

 

Baekhyun inhales, it’s going to be different for everyone involved and he’s not willing to instigate such unprecedented change on people’s daily lives. They’re happy in this place.

 

Baekhyun will have to make the tougher decision. He wants to be selfish for once, even if it’s his own inheritance on the line, even if he faces the threat of disownment. He’ll be okay. He’s got this.

 

“I’m not signing that paperwork.” Baekhyun tells him, “I’m going back to Seoul.”

 

Chanyeol stares at him. “Are you sure that’s what you want? If you’re not going to buy this land, Eunhyun’s going to marry a stranger.”

 

Baekhyun ceases his idle stirring, meets Chanyeol’s gaze, and frowns. “How did you know that?”

 

“Because I’m that stranger, Baekhyun. I’m marrying Byun Eunhyun.”

 

___//_ _ _

 

In the grand scheme of things, they were all just pawns in a massive chessboard played by their grandfathers. Originally, the main players were Yoora and Baekhyun, the stakes were the Parks’ massive lands and the Byun’s business empire. The whole thing was archaic – combining business through arranged marriages, who the fuck does that?

 

Yoora must have been disgusted by the whole thing that she chose to be disowned than be tangled in a loveless marriage with a person she couldn’t even divorce because big business empires depend on their union. It was totally fucking barbaric.

 

Baekhyun was under the impression that the deal had been dissolved when Yoora broke off the engagement. He’d been dreadfully wrong then.

 

Here’s the thing, before Chanyeol’s grandfather died, he portioned off a few acres of land as Chanyeol’s inheritance. However, Chanyeol’s land – the same land that Baekhyun’s father wants him to buy – is still part of the engagement deal between Parks and Byuns, and even if an acre of that land is sold off, the engagement will be invalid. It’s the reason why Baekhyun’s father is keen on buying the land, it’s to avoid Eunhyun from getting stuck in situations like this.

 

Chanyeol also tells Baekhyun that it was his grandfather’s will to give him a choice. If he wants to, then he can go through with the engagement, if he doesn’t then he can do that as well.

 

How nice of the Park patriarch to do that – god bless his soul.

 

 

The meetings in the last few days had been with Baekhyun’s family. Wedding talks and everything else. No one seems particularly thrilled about the whole ordeal except Baekhyun’s grandfather.

 

Baekhyun tries not to show his ire at that. Chanyeol didn’t bother telling him, his own father had conveniently thrown him here to inconspicuously fix the mess and break off an engagement. Sometimes, it’s difficult to deal with the consequences of his own insignificance.

 

And people question him about why he can’t see his worth, well here’s his answer.

 

The door rings.

 

“I’ll get it.” Chanyeol stands up, leaving Baekhyun to stew in his thoughts.

 

It’s Eunhyun’s voice that precedes her appearance in the kitchen. Baekhyun whips his head back so fast, surprised. Eunhyun stands there, wearing a floral dress and heels face made up, and blushing at Chanyeol like an infatuated teenager. Baekhyun can’t believe what he’s seeing.

 

“Eun?” Baekhyun stands up. “What are you doing here?”

 

”Baek?”

 

Between the two of them, it’s Eunhyun that shoul really be surprised.

 

Eunhyun is too precious to their parents and their father would never tell her the truth behind this engagement – that she’s merely an instrument to gain access to the Parks’ lands.

 

Eunhyun temporarily loses her ladylike aura as she lunges at him, “Where have you been? You never answered my calls, never replied to my messages. I was worried. I hate you so much, how can you do this to me?”

 

Baekhyun smiles, there’s his Eunhyun. “I’m sorry Eun. I was busy.”

 

Eunhyun looks at him like he has grown another head. “I’m going to reserve the questioning for later. Anyway, what are you doing here?”

 

“I’ve business with Park Chanyeol.”

 

“Really?” Eunhyun beams. Chanyeol approaches her and casually throws an arm around her shoulders. The smile on Chanyeol’s face betrays nothing. “Well then, Baek this is Chanyeol, my fiancé.”

 

Chanyeol says nothing. Baekhyun feels like he’s being torn into pieces.

 

//

 

“I missed you.”

 

Baekhyun stares at his reflection on the lake, the same lake he almost drowned in. It feels rather odd, the memory seems so long ago.

 

“I’m sorry Eun. I was really busy.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I know you’re busy with CEO Byun duties, I’m sorry.”

 

He turns to her and ruffles her carefully arranged hair. Eunhyun frowns.

 

“Do you like him?” Baekhyun asks, he ignores the painful twisting in his chest. “I was worried about that message you sent me.”

 

Eunhyun nods, smiling prettily. “I sent that message to you before I actually met him. It’s okay now, I like him Baek. It’s an arranged marriage but It doesn’t really matter, Chanyeol’s a good person. Better him than anyone else, right?”

 

Baekhyun nods, reaching out to tuck a portion of her wayward hair to the back of her ear. “Alright then, one less thing for me to worry about. Promise me that you’ll be happy with him.”

 

Eunhyun smiles. Baekhyun’s gut is twisting, his organs seem to be melting right off their places. He’s in pain but he smiles, because he’s a good older brother. After all, Eunhyun’s happiness will always be his priority.

 

“I love you,” Baekhyun tells her, “you know that, right?”

 

“Love you too, Baek.”

 

//

 

The next few days is a whirlwind.

 

Baekhyun returns to Seoul and the first thing he does is march right into his father’s office and tell his old man that he’s failed him. The older Byun looks like he’s going to flip the table right into Baekhyun’s face but like the composed man that he is – he simply balls a fist and inhales, seething.

 

“You are quite lucky, Eunhyun likes that Park bastard. If it’s the other way around, you wouldn’t be so fortunate.”

 

Baekhyun knows that, he doesn’t care.

 

Then there’s the wedding preparations. Announcements are made, fittings are done, Baekhyun’s so exhausted of everything and he wants to run away but he can’t. He grits his teeth, pretends it doesn’t hurt. Chanyeol merely ignores him like they haven’t torn at each other’s clothes, like they haven’t exchanged spit in between heated kisses.

 

He almost hates him, but he can’t. What right does he have?

 

The curtains open, revealing a beaming Eunhyun in an elegant white dress. Baekhyun is temporarily derailed from his train of thoughts. Eunhyun looks beautiful in her wedding dress. She’s going to be the most beautiful bride, Chanyeol should be thankful.

 

“So, what do you think?”

 

Chanyeol looks up, assessing the image presented before him and stares right back at the magazine in his hands. “Pretty.”

 

Eunhyun looks generally undeterred at her groom’s passive remark. She turns to Baekhyun, smile still as beautiful. “How about you Baek, do I look prett _y?”_

 

_“_ Beautiful.” Baekhyun says with much enthusiasm. “The prettiest bride in the planet. I hope your husband-to-be realizes just how lucky he is.” 

 

There’s a chill in the fitting room. Even the attendants seem to have caught on. Chanyeol puts down his magazine and meets Baekhyun’s stare. “Don’t worry, the husband-to-be realizes just how lucky he is.”

 

“Look, guys.” Eunhyun flits her gaze between the two men, laughing nervously. “I have to go see my wedding shoes selection. I’ll see you later.”

 

When Eunhyun exits the shop. Baekhyun asks the attendants to wheel in their suits and leave. The staff quickly scramble to follow his demand.

 

As soon as they’re left in the room, Baekhyun turns to Chanyeol and without preamble says, “What the fuck is your problem?”

 

It’s the first thing he’s said to Chanyeol in two weeks. The statement quickly erases the calm visage on Chanyeol’s face.

 

“Are you having problems with how I treat my fiancée? Well then, suck it up. She signed up for this.”

 

Baekhyun stalks towards Chanyeol and pulls the man down by his collar. “Look Park, you could’ve sold that land to somebody else. You could’ve fucking prevented this arrangement; don’t you dare give me an excuse. If you hurt her, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

 

“You’re such a fucking hypocrite. You could’ve prevented this yourself.” Chanyeol answers, seething. “You could have dropped that twisted martyr complex for one fucking second and stand up for what you want. But you couldn’t do that, right? Because you want everyone to be happy except yourself.”

 

They’re so close, faces merely centimeters apart and Baekhyun hated how he craved for Chanyeol’s touch even at situations like this. He twists his palms around Chanyeol’s collar because he understands what Chanyeol meant but he can’t do anything about it.

 

“You’re hurting me, Baekhyun.”

 

The lawyer’s tone is suddenly soft, resigned as if he’s tired of all this. Baekhyun lets go; Chanyeol looks away.

 

“You’re really hurting me.”

 

Baekhyun grabs a suit from the rack and doesn’t look at Chanyeol when he exits the premises.

 

___//_ _ _

 

They have dinner two nights before the wedding – a late engagement party of sort.

 

Baekhyun suffers through the event, gradually intoxicating himself with endless glasses of wine. The whole family is present, one side of the table are occupied by Chanyeol’s parents, grandparent, and his relatives. The other side sits Baekhyun’s family – relatives included.

 

They all try to be amicable, it’s such a stiff, exclusive event. Chanyeol’s grandmother wanted the engagement dinner to be as private as possible because the nation and the rest of the world who follows Eunhyun’s career now knows that she’s to be married. They’re the talk of the town and Baekhyun would rather crawl into a ditch and die.

 

He can’t take this anymore. He stands up, smiling drunkenly as he excuses himself from the table. The members of his would-be extended family can judge him – fuck it, he’s stopped caring.

 

He trudges into the washroom, groping his pockets for a pack of cigarettes. He sees how wrecked he looks, haggard reflection greeting him as soon as he steps into the enclosed space.

 

His hands are shaking even as he tries to light his cigarette. “Fuck.” Baekhyun inhales a long, long drag. Everything hurts. Chanyeol’s right, he brought this upon himself because of his pathetic weakness. It would’ve been so easy to prevent this from happening. But he craves validation from everyone, he wants to be needed.

 

And if he could give Eunhyun her happiness by giving up Chanyeol, then he’d do everything.

 

But fuck, it really hurts.

 

Someone enters the washroom. Baekhyun doesn’t look up from where he’s sitting – on the washroom floor, head cradled in one palm, the other palm resting on top of a folded leg – he’s probably making the other guy uncomfortable.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to try the dessert?”

 

Chanyeol. Of course, it would be him out of all people. Baekhyun takes another drag, exhales and chuckles, “is it strawberry shortcake? It’s Eun’s favorite.”

 

“Chocolate parfait, your favorite.”

 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

 

Chanyeol bends in front of him, “What should I do to make you feel better?”

 

Love me. “Make my sister happy.”

 

Chanyeol sighs, and when he stands up to leave, Baekhyun grabs his arm. He forcefully pulls Chanyeol down and without preamble, kisses him. The lawyer kisses him back, gently, with adoration – like he loves him.

 

“I love you.” Baekhyun tells him, “make her happy.”

 

Baekhyun tries to forget about the encounter, until Chanyeol shows up in front of his doorstep, hours after the dinner. It’s three am. When Baekhyun opens the door, Chanyeol does not waste a second when he backs him up against the nearest wall. They kiss, stumbling into bed, tearing each other’s clothes.

 

This is so wrong. Baekhyun doesn’t care.

 

He lets Chanyeol break him apart one last time.

 

___//_ _ _

 

The wedding ceremony isn’t such a grand affair. The guest list remained short, the venue humble. It could have been more extravagant but both parties opted out of the lavish wasting of money.

 

Chanyeol waits for his bride in front of the altar. He looks handsome in his black tuxedo, a single red rose pinned on the lapel of his suit.

 

Baekhyun can’t stop staring.

 

“You love him, don’t you?” Baekhyun turns to the source of the voice and there she is, the same person he once wanted to be friends with a long, long time ago. Yoora is still as beautiful.

 

“Yoora?”

 

“The one and only.” The woman says, “My husband’s outside, trying to calm the twins down. It’s insane I tell you.”

 

Baekhyun manages a smile. “I thought you were – “

 

“Disowned? Yes, I am, but I’m on Chanyeol’s guest list. They can’t do anything about it.”

 

“I meant to say, I thought you were out of the country. But okay.”

 

“I was, around four years ago. I had to cut my residency short to have the twins.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“We could have been them, if I didn’t run away.” Yoora says, smiling. “You’re a good person Baekhyun but still, we would’ve been severely unhappy if I agreed to the marriage. It’s such an archaic arrangement. Sometimes, I want to remind the elders that we have lawyers, the concept of contracts and all that. They don’t need to conduct such elaborate schemes to tie businesses together.”

 

“I wish I can be as brave as you are.” Baekhyun admits. “I’m ashamed to say that I was relieved when you disagreed to the engagement. It’s something I couldn’t do. I’m sorry you had to take all the blame.”

 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s been years.” Yoora stares at him. She looks so much like her brother. “But you do love him, Chanyeol I mean.”

 

He smiles. He knows Yoora can see through him, he doesn’t have to answer that question.

 

“You can be brave if it’s what you want. But I do think you refuse to.” The doors open, the wedding march begins. “It’s great to live your life without being dictated by external forces. It’s great to be happy Baekhyun.”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t say anything else. Yoora is right. It’s great to be happy, truly happy, for once. If only he could stand up for his happiness – Baekhyun smiles wryly at the thought.

 

Eunhyun looks beautiful in her chosen wedding dress, a bouquet of white roses in her grasp. On the other hand, Chanyeol’s smile is unreadable. He takes Eunhyun’s palm and they stand in front of the officiant. It’s a traditional wedding ceremony, until Eunhyun laughs in the middle of the vows – right after Chanyeol say ‘ I do.’

 

_“_ I’m sorry,” the pianist laughs. Baekhyun is mildly alarmed while the officiant seems scandalized. “Can you repeat that?” 

 

The officiant clears his throat, “Do you, Byun Eunhyun, take Park Chanyeol to be your husband, to cherish in friendship and love today, tomorrow and for as long as the two of you live, to trust and honor him, to love him faithfully, through the best and the worst, whatever may come, and if you should ever doubt, to remember your love for each other and the reason why you came together with him this day?”

 

“I don’t.” Eunhyun simply proclaims, smiling. “I changed my mind. These shoes are really uncomfortable, so can we just shuffle on? I refuse to marry Park Chanyeol, what do I do?”

 

What the actual fuck.

 

Murmurs fill the whole venue. Baekhyun doesn’t want to know what expression grandfather has on his wrinkly face, and if ever he’s suffered a minor stroke Baekhyun isn’t too willing to see that either.

 

“Alright.” Eunhyun looks at everyone in the confused crowd. She removes her veil, then heels and, leans in to kiss Chanyeol on his cheek. “Bye Yeol, it had been fun.”

 

And then the bride runs out. Literally runs out of the venue, barefoot. Her shoes haphazardly tossed at the foot of the pulpit. Baekhyun’s mind isn’t processing the whole ordeal. He’s still staring at the altar from where Eunhyun practically bolted. There’d been a car outside of the church, waiting for her.

 

She planned this?

 

Yoora’s laughing as the venue finally descends into chaos. “Atta girl.”

 

Amidst panicking relatives and trying to decipher Eunhyun’s motives, Baekhyun hadn’t seen the groom approach him.

 

“Baek,”

 

There’s no slow motion, pulse racing and erratic heartbeats. There is Chanyeol, standing in front of Baekhyun with a smile on his handsome face.

 

Baekhyun’s still confused as to what the actual fuck happened. But when Chanyeol wraps his fingers around Baekhyun’s wrist and tugs, Baekhyun doesn’t question him.

 

They run, Baekhyun doesn’t look back.

 

___//_ _ _

 

_**___Renowned pianist, Byun Eunhyun, ran out of her wedding ceremony last Tuesday, June 5th. The musician was to marry, Park Chanyeol – a lawyer, and the only grandson of now passed, Park Jaeyong. Currently, both parties have not given respective explanations.__ _ ** _

**  
**

_**__Han Group and Park Agricultural Industries have also refused to provide official statements._ _ ** _

**  
**

_**__The Parks and the Byuns have been tangled in long, traditional business allegiances since the early sixties. Now that the last engagement between the families has been broken by none other than the bride herself, a final decision has yet to be made._ _ ** _

**  
**

_**__Meanwhile, Byun Eunhyun is still set to perform at the Seoul Grand Theater on the 15th of August._ _ ** _

___//_ _ _

____“…I mean Baek, I really didn’t want to swipe your man like that. Plus, Chanyeol’s got funny ears, he’s not even that handsome. What did you ever see in him?__ _ _

 

___By the way, I’m currently in Japan, Sehun’s with me. Tbh, I’d rather marry this noodle than that Chanyeol. You blame him, that whole catastrophe was his idea. Don’t worry, before I agreed to do anything he made sure I knew about grandpa’s deal with the Parks. Also, if Chanyeol hasn’t told you yet, he already sold that land to someone else before we got married, almost. So technically, we’ve all broken the terms of the engagement. I hope everyone gets out of this mess unscathed? The press is loving the debacle though, damn, I’m famous._ _ _

 

___Anyway, I’m just going to let things simmer down a bit, grandpa’s probably mad as fuck. I don’t blame him. Say hi to mom and dad for me. I’ll see you in August. I wuv you a lot._ _ _

 

___PS: pls don’t hate dad too much. he’s such a huge ass, but we all know he’s also got a soft spot for you._ _ _

 

Baekhyun smiles after reading Eunhyun’s email. He puts his laptop aside and languidly crawls on top of Chanyeol’s naked body.

 

They’ve talked. Baekhyun had been confused by the whole thing so Chanyeol had laid it out to him in bullet points.

 

First things first, Eunhyun and Chanyeol didn’t hold anything for each other – there were no feelings in the slightest. “You really had to threaten me, didn’t you?” Chanyeol had said, nipping at Baekhyun’s neck, “Your sister’s insanely gorgeous but I prefer you. Suck it up.”

 

Secondly, Chanyeol never intended to marry anyone from the Byun clan. His grandfather had given him a choice and Chanyeol hadn’t been too willing to get tied down to some stranger just yet. By the time Baekhyun offered to buy the land, Chanyeol had already been preparing to sell to another buyer in hopes of escaping from his fate. What delayed him were the paper works he needed to finish to relocate everyone from the village – Chanyeol had used up his whole inheritance to buy everyone lands and fully furnished homes, somewhere north.

 

Thirdly, when Baekhyun finally came into the picture and Chanyeol had laid his eyes on the only person he’s ever loved, Chanyeol didn’t want to let him go. So he pulled back the previous deal he’d made. From the beginning, he’d already intended to sell the land to Baekhyun. With that, he would have escaped marriage imprisonment and Baekhyun’s problem was solved. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

 

Lastly, the whole deal was a scheme to get to know Baekhyun, an elaborate excuse. “Fall in love with the land, fall in love with me too. Did it work?”

 

Baekhyun laughed, “I guess it did, Yeol. It did.”

 

And that whole drama with Eunhyun was another elaborate scheme.

 

“You looked at me like you loved me.” Chanyeol murmured into Baekhyun’s neck, explaining. “But you never said a thing. You were so keen to avoid your feelings. It’s like you never want to do anything for your own happiness. You keep undermining yourself Baek. I was cruel for doing that to you, but you needed the push. Eventually, you did confess. I was hoping you’d do something drastic, I was waiting until the final minute, for you to stand up for what you want, for once. But you didn’t do it. I was mildly hurt, and it was kind of awkward to say, ‘ I do’ to a girl when in reality, I would’ve preferred if it was her brother standing in front of me.”

 

“So, you asked my sister to play a skit in front of my parents and grandfather?”

 

“Eunhyun knows you. Plus, she wanted to do something scandalous. I planned to tell them the truth during the night of the engagement dinner, but she wanted to go the extra mile.”

 

“God. I knew she’s going to be the death of me.”

 

Chanyeol laughed, “Eunhyun cares about you a lot. She acts oblivious, but she knows. She’s old enough, she can take care of herself without you around all the time. Trust me when I say she knows her thing.”

 

Maybe it was time to prioritize himself – his happiness for once.

 //

_“_ Did she just say I  _wuv_ you?” Chanyeol groans, his arms snaking around Baekhyun’s waist. “ I  _wuv_ you? She needs to stop being on twitter all the time.” 

 

“She tries to be cute.”

 

“Maybe you should do that too, be cute sometimes.”

 

The businessman laughs. Chanyeol holds him tighter.

 

“I love you.” Baekhyun tells him, “I love you so much.”

 

“Someone’s got to be brave for the both of us.” Chanyeol says, kissing the line of Baekhyun’s neck, “I just want you to know that you’re always worth it. You don’t have to prioritize everyone’s happiness all the time. Promise me.”

 

Baekhyun smiles. “I’ll prioritize yours then.” He looks at the greenery that stretched outside of their bedroom window and counts his blessings. It’s great to be happy. Baekhyun thanks Chanyeol for that.

 

“Do you regret it?”

 

“I’ve been in love with you since I was five years old, my only regret is not being with you sooner.”

 

Baekhyun holds him closer, and this time, he’ll never let go. Chanyeol is happiness.

 

He’s finally home.


End file.
